


When the Darkness Saves the Light

by Crushed_Seraphim



Category: The Originals (TV), Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-14 16:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1273693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crushed_Seraphim/pseuds/Crushed_Seraphim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dahlia, a mysterious French Casket Girl, gets attacked the night she's supposed to arrive in New Orleans, who will come to her rescue? And how will her presence in Louisiana impact the Mikaelson family, especially Niklaus Mikaelson, the world renowned and mercyless Original. KlausxOC, Spin-off of The Originals</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Casket Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. So, I've decided the old style with French text and English translations was not working out, so I've decided to edit all chapters to fit the new style. [I've been told that the French speech with translation was hard to read.] From now on, everything will be written in English BUT what is said in French will be ITALICIZED.
> 
> Chapter song: The Wolf- Fever Ray

**New Orleans, Louisiana: June, 1819**

For centuries, people have come to America hoping to build a better life for themselves. They sought fortune and sometimes, even love. Young women from France came to New Orleans in hopes of marrying a proper New Orleans gentleman.

Dahlia Chantraine and her best friend, Veronique Beauvoir, were part of the first few groups of the Casket Girls looking to escape to America. When they left France with the few belongings small enough to fit in their baggage, the young women's families arranged everything with the Governor of New Orleans, Ronan LaMontagne, ensuring everything would run according to plan. After all, no matter where you may come from, money talks; Dahlia and Veronique originated from families that were extremely well-off.

The plan was for the young women to embark on the ship headed for the Promise Land and once they arrived in port in South Carolina, one of Mr. LaMontagne's most trusted hired help would meet them there and drive them to Louisiana.

The girls had been riding for over a week, stopping every now and then to rest. Tonight would be their last night of travel. They were on the outskirts of New Orleans when they heard the howls of wolves getting nearer to their location.

Frightened, the two women's heart rates picked up, goosebumps appearing on their pale ivory skin, the blood rushing through their veins as pure terror coursed through their veins. These poor women never had such close encounters with the wilderness as they did on this night of the full moon. They grabbed each other, holding on as though the feeling of the other's warmth could somehow wake them from the nightmare they were living. Their palms began to sweat, their laboured breathing becoming more prominent in the silence of the carriage.

Dahlia, who was closest to the door and window, pulled on the satin drapes covering the glass. Seconds later, moonlight illuminated the tight space, casting an eerie shadow on the darkest corners of the inside of the carriage.

Quietly, she turned to Veronique. " _Is that wolf howling that I hear? I hope we're safe and that the driver is cautious._ " Dahlia whispered to her friend in her mother tongue, her voice trembling, feeling her insides twist in sheer panic. Every time the wolves howled, chills crawled down her spine.

" _Yes, I hear it, too. Sir,_ " Veronique called out to the driver, " _Why are the wolves coming so close to the road, to us? Are we in danger?_ "

" _We are travelling on a night with a full moon. This isn't something that happens frequently. But, rest assured my dear Misses, everything will be alright._ " He yelled out, but his voice shook slightly, betraying his fear.

Suddenly, the pack of wolves once heard just seconds ago were now seen closing in from all sides. Both girls gasped, their grip on the other tightening to the point of becoming painful. The rustling of the nearby bushes could be heard loudly, rivaled only by the sound given off by the horseshoes grating against the stones of the road.

The horses could be heard whinnying as they jumped around in fear, and a few seconds later, the carriage took off rapidly. The driver, attempting to keep his calm, flexed his muscles trying desperately to keep his position on the seat. Despite all his efforts, the reins were tugged out of his outstretched hands and he was thrown off his seat, landing on the dark, cold ground only to be attacked by a pair of wolves.

The girls noticed his fall and witnessed the attack, unable to do anything but stare in shock as the wolves tore the once intact body of the driver to shreds, tugging at any parts of the body they could rip into with their sharp canines. Dahlia swore she could see the intestines of the driver being pulled taught, she even saw the second wolf dive in, commencing a grotesque version of 'tug-o-war'. Veronique's body started to heave at the sight of the dark pool of blood that soaked into the dirt road, while she attempted to hold onto the light breakfast she had eaten that morning. Dahlia's eyes began to water; she was going into shock as her mind attempted to repress what she had previously seen in order to protect itself.

Now out of control, the carriage shook violently with the horses' movement. The women were thrown from side to side, having to let go of each other only to get a firm grasp onto whatever was at arms length. They had grabbed on to whatever they could in the moment. While trying to escape the wolves that were running beside them, the horses pulled in all directions, often in opposite sides, and ended up breaking their harnesses. The carriage continued moving forward, wheels still in motion and maintaining momentum, causing it to crash into a group of trees as the road took a sudden turn.

The women heard the loud crack caused by the wooden driver's seat as it snapped off and fell to the ground. Other than that, the carriage held firm, taking the impact with only the rattling of its body - the room in which the girls were trapped. Bewildered, the girls fell forward and off the bench, all the while realizing that they would be left with painful bruises caused by the impact with the bench across from them. Thankfully, for now, neither of the two sustained any serious injuries.

The women slowly got up, groaning in pain, and opened the door. They stepped out of the carriage and looked around.

" _My goodness! How will we escape unscathed? No one is around to help us or hear our cries._ " Dahlia asked, seconds from experiencing a breakdown.

" _No time to lose, Dahlia!_ " Veronique said, grabbing her friend's hand and pulling her deeper into the forest ahead of them. " _We have to flee/run away; otherwise we risk being the wolves' prey._ "

The two young women took off, running away from the distinct sound of claws tossing up rocks in their wake as they ran to catch up to their prey.

Delving deeper into the forest, the two ran side by side, tripping often and even falling once until Dahlia told Veronique to gather her full dress skirt in her hands, doing the same with her own, to prevent each from being slowed town. For a time, they were separated by a few trees, until the trees became closer together, and the distance between them increased.

The silky and voluminous material kept sliding out of their sweaty grasp, tangling around their legs and tripping them every so often. The corsets were making it extremely hard to breathe, especially now that their heart rates had spiked and their breathing grew more and more irregular.

Realizing that her sandals were slowing her down, Dahlia paused long enough to grasp onto a nearby tree and rip off the offending tiny heels on the sandals she wore. The fragile part broke off leaving the sole of the sandals intact, allowing her the ability to run without hazard of tripping. Being in better physical shape than her friend, she ran as fast as her body allowed her while listening for the rustling of leaves and snapping of fallen twigs that gave away the wolves' location, as well as for the sound of her friend's footfalls as they made contact with the forest floor.

Ten minutes into their run, Dahlia heard a blood curdling scream. The only person beside herself who could be in danger was without a doubt Veronique. Affected by the awareness of the wolves' close proximity which remained an unflinching presence at the back of her mind, Dahlia made a split-second decision to go back and check on her friend.

Retracing her way back, Dahlia looked around and listened for any sounds that could indicate the location of Veronique. The only thing that she could hear were the cracking of leaves and twigs made by wolf paws quickly catching up to her, but nothing attributed to the presence of a human.

To her left side, Dhalia could make out a dark shape on the forest floor, but she was too far away to make out what it was, especially given that the only source of illumination consisted of moonlight rays filtered by the full crowns of the hundred-year-old trees that surrounded her. Carefully, she made her way towards the unmoving shape, and to her utter horror, Dahlia realized that what she assumed was an inanimate object was actually the mangled body of her friend.

Veronique's long, blue dress was shredded and bloodied and, in areas, chunks of flesh were missing, allowing for a grotesque display of the once-covered bone.

Trapped in a state of denial, Dahlia dropped to her knees beside her best friend and began calling her name, her tone becoming desperate and rising several octaves with the realization that Veronique was unresponsive.

Dahlia placed her friend's head on her lap and continued to gently stroke her muddied and bloody hair, while sobbing uncontrollably. Overcome by grief, Dahlia disregarded her environment and thus, she didn't realize that the wolves could no longer be heard.

Little did she know that mere feet from her, a man was watching the tragedy take its course, unsure of whether or not he should intervene. Uncomfortable with powerful displays of emotion, he stood unmoving, feeling an unusual sense of pity towards the distraught young woman.

After minutes of stifling silence, he decided that it was time to make his presence known. He was a firm believer in the idea that grief was useless considering the dead girl could not be resurrected. Carefully, as if approaching a wild animal that might run away at any moment, he stepped away from the tree that had kept him shrouded in darkness and towards the grieving girl.

Dahlia's sixth sense alerted her of another presence, one that she hadn't sensed before. Quickly, she turned around and stumbled back in fright.

"Easy there, love! Don't be frightened. I'm not going to hurt you." The man cooed, in a reassuring tone. Even though she didn't understand what he was saying, his tone wiped away the fear and anxiety from her body as if it was a stain that could be wiped clean.

In a quiet, shaky voice, she asked " _Who are you?_ " Awaiting a response, she studied the features of the man. His shaggy blond hair looked almost silver in the moonlight and his eyes looked to be a light shade but she couldn't tell what that was from where she was. His features were angular, seeming almost Germanic to her. He seemed to be the kind of man everyone feared, and yet she felt drawn to him. Besides, a part of her told her that she can trust him and should not be afraid of this handsome stranger.

" _Oh, you speak french. I'm sorry to take you by surprise, miss. My name is Niklaus Mikaelson. You are safe. The wolves left, but it's possible that they will come back, so we need to leave the forest._ " He said, calmly but with an urgent undertone.

" _Why should I trust you?_ " she hiccupped through her tears.

" _I'm only here to help you. I promise. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do for your friend, but I can take you into town. I have a large mansion and you are welcome to stay with my family and I for as long as you please._ " he clarified, unaffected by her almost hostile response. He seemed good-natured, if one could overlook the grim and somber feel of their encounter.

Whimpering, Dahlia realized that she was dependent upon this gentleman's kindness. She was a small girl that would make an easy target for the wolves. Veronique's death proved that. _God,_ _why couldn't he have come in time to save Veronique?_ she thought, torn between tearing at everything nearby, a laughable thing considering her weakened state, and clutching at Veronique's cold, lifeless body as if she was the only thing keeping her from drowning.

" _I have to bring her with us! I can't abandon her! Please…_ " She held on to her friend's still hand, refusing to part with her for even a second.

" _Not now. We must leave. But we can come bury her tomorrow, when it is safe to return._ " Niklaus didn't know why he was being so kind towards the young lady. Her strength and vulnerability roused in him a need to protect the creature standing before him.

He truly did want to help her, but her refusal to come with him brought on an urge to just toss her over his shoulder and drag her away. Clearly they were getting nowhere here, and they didn't have time to lose. The wolves were still in the vicinity, bidding their time until they could attack again, and he was outnumbered. _Luckily I can't die, but she can! Honestly, does this woman have no sense of self preservation?_ He wondered, utterly baffled and trying to hold back a growl.

" _I'm going to give you a choice. You either get up and come with me, or I'm taking you away by force. Don't you see that I'm trying to keep you safe and yet here you are, without a worry, in a forest full of wolves. We're outnumbered. If we don't leave now, we'll both be in grave danger._ " He was past the point of politeness. He hoped that, given a choice, she'd make the right one. He wasn't above lying to her just to get her to move.

She looked up wide-eyed. " _You cannot be serious!_ " She couldn't leave her friend behind. She'd rather stay here and suffer the same fate, but at least they would still be together.

" _Alright, I'll take that as your answer. Keep in mind that I tried!_ " Seconds later, he leaned down and lifted Dahlia over his shoulder, clutching her small, fragile body to his own.

She kept struggling, begging him to let her stay with her friend, to save her; her state had left her incoherent. Carefully, Niklaus tightened his grip on her restless body, ensuring that her movements wouldn't cause her to fall off.

He kept walking in the direction of the main road, the way the girls had come running less than an hour ago, until they had cleared the thick forest. He then turned and headed to his left, towards a horse that could be seen feet away, his reins tied to a tree to prevent him from escaping.

When they were a few feet from the horse, Niklaus lowered Dahlia's feet onto the ground. Her feet seemed to be defying the directions she was giving them, causing her to wobble. Just as her feet gave way, Niklaus grabbed hold of her, allowing her to grasp onto his shoulder to keep herself upright.

" _I hope you'll cooperate. I only want what's best for you._ " He said, an attempt to reassure her.

As if she could run…"Oui." She replied. She was left with no other option.

Once she was stable enough, he turned towards the horse and started whispering soothing words to him, all the while freeing the reins that he had wrapped around the tree. He patted the horse and then turned to Dahlia.

" _Ladies first_." he said, smiling.

Noticing her staring at the horse as if it would attack her at any moment, he reassured her that the horse was gentle. " _I promise you, he will not hurt you. Come pet him._ "

He took her hand, holding her near to him, and placed their hands on the animal's head, gently caressing him. " _You see, he's gentle._ " They were wasting time, but she had to adjust to the animal, otherwise it wouldn't end too well.

"Oui," she replied, deciding she was in no real danger.

" _Are you ready to get on the horse?_ " He asked and, seeing her nod, lifted her onto the horse before climbing on behind her.

Taking hold of the reins, he nudged the horse's side, and the three took off at a trot. Once they adjusted to the pace, he nudged the horse again, increasing the gait into a canter and eventually, into a gallop. At this pace, they continued on until they arrived in New Orleans.


	2. Meeting the Mikaelsons

**New Orleans: Noon, The Next Day**

A man sat behind a large mahogany desk facing another who was standing up. The one that was seated at the desk was dressed in an extravagant suit: a collared dress shirt, rust silk puff tie, patterned white vest with onyx buttons, with Livingston black cotton trousers and black leather lace-up boots. His golden pocket watch was placed to the left of his clasped hands which were resting on top of the desk, while his walking stick leaned against the side of the desk, to the right side of his chair. The second, working-class man was wearing a more modest-looking outfit, his felt hat clasped in his hands.

In a calm, quiet voice, the first addressed the other:

"Owen, is the deed done?" he asked, exuding an air of power.

"Sir...We tried our best, but one of the girls got away." He had forced the words out and looked like he was next in line on death row.

Immediately after hearing the reticent response, the first man's face reddened and he slammed his fist on the table, making the hard surface vibrate violently from the after-shock.

Outside the door, a third man held his breath, afraid of being found eavesdropping. _Oh God...Mr. Mikaelson won't like this when he hears about it._ He stood still, his muscles clenched, ready to take off at any moment.

Inside the office, the one in power lost his temper and raised his voice. "You imbeciles. God Almighty! You and your fellows cannot be trusted to carry out a _simple_ task from beginning to end, successfully. Do I have to get my hands dirty for you _all the time_?"

Closing his eyes, he leaned back in his chair, gripping the golden armrests to hold back from launching at the good-for-nothing animal who was clearly wasting his time. 'All that power for nothing...' He breathed to himself.

Opening his eyes again, he spat out, "Leave my sight, right this second, while I'm feeling generous about it. I'll figure out what to do from here."

"I'm sorry, sir. Good day." The second man replied, fidgeting and slightly afraid. He nodded respectfully, placed his hat on his head and turned to leave the room.

"Wait." The other ordered, suddenly. "Find Thomas and let him know I need to see him immediately."

"Yes, sir. I'll go and pay him a visit right now." He tipped his hat before successfully retreating from the room.

By now, the third man was already around the corner and on his way to the Mikaelson mansion.

**Mikaelson Mansion: An hour later**

Dahlia slowly regained consciousness. Opening her eyes, she looked around, confused. The room was dark, the drapes covering the only set of windows in the room. She was in a massive king bed, still dressed in the previous day's attire which was now rumpled and dirty. Running a hand through her long blond hair, she found it to be messy and full of knots. She tried to remember what led to her being in this strange room but all she could remember was the nightmare that still haunted her even in her waking hours.

" _Where am I_?" She breathed to herself, her brows furrowing. A minute later, her eyes became watery as shock and pain marred her features. Last night came back to her; what she thought was a nightmare had actually happened. Veronique was gone and she was left alone in a strange country...

She curled into a fetal position and started sobbing.

Downstairs, Rebekah was feeding from a dazed young man's neck, when she heard the movement and stilled. Retracting her fangs and wiping her mouth of blood, she extended her wrist to her victim. "Drink," she ordered. Once the wound was healed, she compelled him to leave the room.

Looking in a nearby mirror, she made sure she looked presentable before following the sounds to the guest chamber.

Once she stood in front of the closed door, she knocked twice before pushing the door open. She stepped inside, careful not to startle their guest.

"You're awake." She whispered, taking in the disheveled girl who looked to have been swallowed by the large king bed she was lying in.

"And you've been crying…" She sighed, frowning, as she studied the girl's red, puffy face, unsure of how to proceed next. Seeing as how she wasn't confident about her French proficiency having not had as much practise speaking it as her two older brothers, she opted to call out to the one she knew was nearby. She tended to step back and let them intervene in situations where the foreign language was required. _Yet another insecurity to add to the long list you already possess!_ She mentally said. Her jaw tensed as she clenched her teeth, irritated.

"Nik!" She called out, turning her head slightly, in the general direction of his office, before heading over to the windows to open the curtains and let the afternoon light into the chamber.

Raising herself in bed, in order to lean against the headboard, Dahlia studied the intruder wondering who the beautiful young girl was. She must be somehow related to her saviour. What was his name again? Monsieur Mikaelson? _Yes, that's it!_ She thought. _I owe him my life._ She swallowed roughly, her throat dry and scratchy from crying.

At the other end of the house, Niklaus raised his head from the book at the sound of his name. He got up from his office chair, tugged onto the end of his black corduroy vest while placing the book he was reading back on the shelf to his left, then flashed down the hall to the guest room.

"You called, sister?" He asked as soon as he was within the human's hearing range. He made sure to slow to a walk as he rounded the corner near Dahlia's chamber. They had decided he wouldn't inform her of what they were until she was feeling better, which meant they'd have to pretend to be human for another few days.

From near the windows, Rebekah answered his query, "I did." She nodded towards the bed, adding, "Our guest is awake. Please say something to calm her down; she's crying…"

"Ah! _Good morning, miss. You're awake. Did you sleep well?_ " He asked as he approached the bed and sat down at the foot of it, studying her calmly.

Just as she was about to reply, another man, who looked to be in his early thirties, wearing black-striped trousers, a white shirt and a black and grey patterned vest, strolled in. He had a glass of water in his hand which he placed on the night table beside Dahlia's bed before going to stand behind the blonde young woman, placing his hands on her shoulders. He must've heard that their guest was awake and came to introduce himself.

" _Yes, thank you. I'm sorry to impose..._ " She said, regretfully, as she glanced between the three figures in the room and then fidgeted nervously. She didn't like being dependant on someone or taking advantage of their kindness, but she didn't have many options seeing as she had nowhere else to go as of yet and didn't speak the language of the majority. Her only connection to the mayor was the driver of the carriage who had become prey for the wolves... _God rest his soul._

" _Nonsense! You are not imposing._ " The man that was standing behind the blonde said, jumping into the conversation. Turning to Niklaus, he addressed him in their mother tongue. "Brother, would you like to do the honours?"

Smiling, Niklaus turned towards Dahlia "Mademoiselle—"

She was getting tired of being called Miss. Thinking back to last night, she realized he used it because he didn't know her name. She never introduced herself...She decided it was time to remedy that. " _My name is Dahlia Chantraine, but please, call me Dahlia._ " She interrupted him.

"Ah, _alright_. _Then you need to call me Niklaus or Klaus, whichever you prefer. It's necessary considering we'll be seeing each other often from now on._ " He'd be lying if he said that he wasn't looking forward to hearing his name fall from her luscious lips each day. _Lust is all that this is. An unhealthy obsession with a beautiful girl._ He thought to himself. After all, who isn't excited to play with a new toy when all you're surrounded by are old, ratty ones?

"Niklaus. _It's a beautiful name._ " She said, smiling slightly.

"Merci. _Yours, as well. Dahlia...It's dark, mysterious and unique, a great mixture._ " He smirked; her name had a ring to it. Such a dark name for such a sweet creature. A wonderful paradox.

"Ah, _I interrupted you._ Désolé! _Please, do continue_." She said, blushing.

"That's alright. Dahlia, _I'd like to introduce you to my family_." He explained. "The young blonde girl standing behind me is my little sister, Rebekah, while the man to her right is my older brother, Elijah. Don't hesitate to come to any of us if you would like to talk or if you need any type of assistance; we would like you to feel at home among us."

Each of the siblings greeted Dahlia, with a smile, a nod or a quick "Bonjour!" Leaning against the headboard, Dahlia returned their greetings shyly before looking down at her clasped hands. Hiding behind her messy hair, her eyes stinging due to unshed tears. These strangers' kindness was overwhelming. She was aware of just how lucky she was to have been found and taken in by such a kind family.

"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." She whispered, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

" _No need to thank us. We're glad to have you here._ " Niklaus replied. Noticing the girl's hands shaking, he gently placed his right hand on the hand closest to him and squeezed it, trying to comfort the vulnerable creature. Her disheveled state tugged at his heart strings, and he felt a need to do something, anything that could make her feel better. He'd only known this girl for a few hours and yet, here he was concerned about her wellbeing.

Uncomfortable, he realized he needed to put some distance between the two of them. He needed to get out of this room, quickly. "I need to take care of some business, but Rebekah can help you get settled in and show you around the house whenever you are ready." He got off the bed and made to leave but stopped halfway to the door.

" _Oh, and before I forget!_ " He said, gesturing, " _This morning, Elijah and I found the caskets you and your friend brought with you from France. We left your things downstairs, so as not to disturb you while you were sleeping. One of the servants can bring it up for you. Anything else you need, let Rebekah know and she'll gladly get it for you._ " He clasped his hands behind his back and nodded as he said, " _See you soon!_ " before leaving the room.

Once he left, Elijah turned to Rebekah and whispered "I need to go see Celeste. Send someone for me if you need me." Turning to their guest, he said, " _I have to leave, too, but I do hope to see you at dinner tonight._ " With a nod, he too left the room.

Now alone with their guest, Rebekah was forced to act out the role of the welcoming host. Thankfully, the girl seemed genuine enough not to make this harder on her. _Darn it!_ She thought, realizing she would have to force herself to communicate with Dahlia. _I need to teach her English if she's staying with us. Well...Here goes nothing._

" _Oh good, it's finally just the two of us. If you want, I can help you get ready._ " Rebekah said, speaking French with a strong British accent, while trying to be cheerful. Despite usually being difficult, just this once, she wanted to try her best to build good relations with the girl across from her. If she was asked, she'd deny it, but she did miss having another woman to spend time with. It was getting tedious being around men all day long. She disliked Celeste from the very beginning, so she wasn't an option when it came to spending time with her. Hopefully, Dahlia would prove to be worth the time.

" _Sure, that would be nice._ Merci!" Dahlia stammered, a little taken aback.

" _I'll go bring a maid to help you wash yourself and get dressed. Once that's done, I can take you on a tour of the estate. What do you say?_ " Rebekah continued, pausing every now and then to find the words that escaped her. She was out of practise but so far, she was doing well. _I am an Original vampire._ She thought to herself. _I will_ not _let my frustration with a foreign language get the best of me. I_ always _succeed!_

"Yes, of course," she conceded.

Well, at least she wouldn't have problems getting Dahlia to comply with her plans, Rebekah thought, feeling relieved. What seemed to be a tedious day this morning was turning out to be rather interesting.

**Niklaus' Office: 3 pm**

One of the servants, Jim, knocked on Mr. Mikaelson's door.

"Come in," was the only reply.

"You asked to see me, sir?" He said, walking in hesitantly.

"Yes, I did." Niklaus replied from behind his desk, pausing in the process of writing what looked to be a letter. "I need you to make preparations for a funeral and ensure that it is all arranged by tomorrow or Saturday at the latest."

"Okay, sir."

"I've had the Marie put a spell on Ms. Veronique's body to keep it in a good condition and had her placed in a spare coffin, but the sooner she's buried the better for everyone involved, more so for Ms. Chantraine. But, it all depends on the condition of our dear guest. I would hate for her to be pressured to face her friend's death before she has come to terms with it...Either way, I want everything in order to ensure that once Ms. Chantraine is well enough, we will not have to prolong the funeral longer than is necessary."

"I understand." Jim said, sympathetically.

"With regards to the money, the amount in this pouch should cover all expenses." He held out his hand, giving the pouch to Jim. "Also, please have Kain inform Mr. Raines that we'll be needing his services soon."

"Yes, of course. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, that would be all. Thank you, Jim." Niklaus said, dismissing him and returning to his letter. The servant withdrew, closing the door behind him.

Minutes later, after Niklaus had written several more lines, another knock interrupted him.

"Yes?" He called out.

The door was pushed open to reveal a young man in modest attire.

"Ah, David. Come in."

"Thank you, Mr. Mikaelson."

"To what do I owe your visit?"

"I have some information you may be interested in hearing about, sir..." he paused for suspense and then continued, "regarding last night's wolf attack."

"The wolf attack?!" Niklaus echoed. _Does the governor have a death wish? No matter, I'm just the man to happily grant it to him._ He thought as his eyes darkened dangerously, his mouth tightening into a straight line.

"You have piqued my curiosity." Niklaus said, forcing himself not to react, and leaned against the back of his chair and crossing his hands across his chest. "Name your price."

"In exchange for my knowledge, I would like to be turned." David said, wasting no time at all.

"Pardon me? I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean." Niklaus said, bemused. How much did David know and from whom? None of the Mikaelsons ever shared their true nature with anyone other than their trusted servants. Anyone who found out was compelled to forget.

"With all due respect, sir, I am not a fool. I know of your kind and I wish to become one of you."

"My kind?" Niklaus echoed.

"Yes, sir. Vampires."

"Hmmm…" The information seemed important enough to warrant the price. Dropping the facade, Niklaus conceded. "Alright, David. If I deem the information worthy, I'll grant you your wish."

"That's all I ask, sir."

"Very well, then. Take a seat, and let's hear it."

The boy sat down in the chair offered to him and began explaining what he overheard.


	3. Secrets Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, everything but Dahlia and this plotline belongs to CW and the producers of the Originals *duh*...Unfortunately, despite how much I detest that, so does JoMo & Klaus <3 Both of whom I'm in love with... :(

**Two Days after the Wolf Attack**

**Guest Room, Mikaelson Mansion: 9 pm**

Dahlia was lying on her bed. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness and she was gazing unseeingly at the ceiling, letting her mind wander.

Half an hour earlier, after spending time in the presence of the Mikaelsons during and after dinner, she had asked to politely be excused and had retreated to her room to spend some time alone before going to sleep. She could only pretend for so long that she wasn't falling apart on the inside, and that limit had been reached about half an hour ago. Her new friends had shown much understanding towards her; but, she never did like to cry when in the presence of others, be they close to her or not. But once alone and in the comfort of her own room, she surrendered to the darkness, her body shaking with the force of her sobs as she mourned the loss of her best friend. Every moment spent alone, since the night of the tragedy, had been filled with tears of grief and regret, so many that she wondered whether she would ever come to find the silver lining.

Apart from her constant feeling of grief, there was also the feeling of unease that had yet to disappear. No matter how polite and considerate every member of the family was to her, she continued to feel like an outsider amongst them. To put it plainly, she felt that she was a nuisance and their kindness only served to put her more and more on edge. They had welcomed her into their home with open arms, and treated her with nothing but kindness. This evening at dinner, they even made it perfectly clear that she should stay with them from now on. They claimed their house had more than enough rooms and could accommodate her stay without her being a 'burden' as she had called herself.

Rebekah gently grasped her hands afterwards and said she'd love if she could stay because it would make it easier on her being that, before Dahlia's arrival, she was the only woman in their household, apart from Celeste who she didn't get along with (servants excluded, of course). Celeste was Elijah's lady-friend whom she had met her during the family dinner and who lived at the opposite end of the mansion, her room being to the right of her lover's. She was, much like Dahlia, a francophone, but she lived in an anglophone society and learned the English language out of necessity.

Dahlia wasn't one to allow first impressions to influence her opinion of people; yet, from what she had taken note of during dinner, she couldn't help but think that it will be rather difficult to get Celeste to like her. She was rather surprised, given that her and Celeste spoke the same language. She thought it would be much more likely that they would bond over their shared heritage, though it seemed that the anglophone family was much more likely to adopt her as their own… Her presumption was based on the cold, conceited - perhaps one could call it smug - look the woman had given her on several occasions.

Although Elijah was close to his family, Celeste only seemed close to him, having not yet become accepted as a member of the family. After all, Niklaus and Rebekah had kept her engaged in conversation, and seemed to completely ignore Celeste, who was chatting at a low volume with Elijah. Poor Elijah! He kept trying to bring Celeste into the other conversation but his efforts seemed in vain.

Now, in her bed, Dahlia remembered the thoughts running through her mind during that occurrence. Her inner self sneering wickedly, _Look at them!_ It said. _They don't seem to be too taken by a stranger. What makes you think you'll ever belong? Celeste has a close relation to them, due to her relationship with Elijah; you are just a stranger that takes up much-needed space in their house. Why are they so kind to you, especially if they have nothing to gain? But wait! Maybe they do! They know your secret. They know what you can do… After all, your power is worth a lot to those who know how to wield it._

The mere possibility of it made her throat close up, her heartbeat thudding so loudly she could hear it as if her ear was pressed to it. _Oh, Mon Dieu! They know!_ The blood drained from her face while her expression froze in a mask of terror. _They are going to kill me when they realize that I'm useless to them._

She forced herself to take deep breaths until her heart rate returned to normal and she could breathe easily again. All the while, she tried to convince herself that her secret was safe, for now. _If they were aware of your power, they would have acted on the knowledge._

She was just overreacting! The Mikaelsons have to simply be very compassionate people and want to help out whenever possible. It's why they had to have taken her in. This was the most reasonable explanation...

How could she be so inconsiderate? The Mikaelsons were nothing but nice to her and she repaid their kindness by doubting their good intentions.

With their continued assurances that her stay was more than welcome, they had convinced her to accept their gracious offer and (at least make an attempt to) become a part of their family from now on. After all, they were the only ones she had now that she was all by herself in America.

Even with all her positive thinking, she couldn't shake her incessant worries about keeping her abnormal talent hidden from her new friends. Considering she had very little training on how to master her curse, her ability could manifest at any given moment.

Their easy acceptance of her made her even more determined to prevent the darkness from seeping through her carefully constructed persona. Her curse couldn't be undone, but she would do everything in her power to protect her new friends from herself. _A different country offers the possibility for a new life._ Or at least that's what she kept telling herself…But can one really ever escape their true nature?

Trapped in the depths of her thoughts, Dahlia didn't realize that she was no longer the only person in the room. Someone's sight brought her back to reality.

Rebekah was standing near the door, holding a candle which she had 'used' to navigate the house. She was looking at the other blonde with pity in her green eyes; she walked closer and sat on the bed across from Dahlia, reaching over to take the other's right hand in her own and squeezing it gently.

" _You've been crying,_ " she observed. She leaned over and opened one of the drawers of the bedside table in order to pull out a clean handkerchief which she offered to Dahlia. " _Will you tell me what's upsetting you? Have I or one of my brothers said something to have hurt you? Was it Celeste?_ " Her eyes darkened with undisguised anger. " _I bet she said something, as usual. That woman has no manners. I can't believe she is so inconsiderate, especially towards someone like you who she has only met today!_ "

" _No one in this house was responsible for my current mood. I promise that I just wanted to be alone._ "

" _Don't be ridiculous. No one likes to be alone. That's just something we tell others when we don't want to admit what is bothering us._ " She uttered, with a flippant hand gesture. " _I won't press you about whatever it is. I just want you to know that you should've let me known; I would've been glad to come and keep you company, keep you distracted._ " She added with an easy smile.

Dahlia scoffed, a little indignant at Rebekah's former comments. " _I can't believe it._ " She muttered, laughing humorlessly. " _Rebekah, just because you don't like to be alone doesn't necessarily mean others feel the same way._ " Rebekah narrowed her eyes, feeling insulted, but Dahlia continued on in spite of her reaction. " _I don't think you realize that my light attitude was just a façade. Don't you see? For the past2 days, I've been pretending that my world is still intact, as if I didn't just lose my_ best friend _a couple of days ago. All I've wanted since Niklaus brought me here was to mourn Véronique, like she deserves, without people pretending they know what I'm going through and telling me how sorry they are for what has happened. Or that I didn't deserve to have endured such a tragedy. I hate seeing others look at me with eyes filled with pity. I don't need your pity nor do I want it. Nothing is going to bring Véronique back to life and I just want to mourn her loss in private so I can find closure. I don't want a distraction, I want her back!_ " She had successfully fought back the sobs that were threatening to mute her, needing to unload about what she was feeling, but as she neared the end of her monologue, her emotions got the best of her and she started weeping once again.

Realizing how uncalled for her words had been she felt like she should backtrack. She didn't want to apologize for her honesty but she wished she could somehow smooth things over with the blonde who would be one of her few companions from now on. Before she got the chance to speak up, she was startled by Rebekah's astonished gasp, not only in reply to what had been said but also out of shock.

Slightly confused about the other's reaction, Dahlia followed Rebekah's gaze with blurry vision and finally understood what had captivated the girl's attention. Her wide eyes were locked on the candle resting on Dahlia's night table. The candle whose flame she had blown out when she arrived in the room half an hour earlier had rekindled. It flared up, burning extremely bright as if it had come into contact with gasoline, before returning to the size of a regular flame. She had been too distracted by her varying emotions to notice that she had unintentionally revealed her own secret.

Rebekah glanced between Dahlia and the candle, having forgotten about everything but the new revelation, and queried in a confused whisper " _You...You're a witch?_ " Little could Dahlia know that her new friend was faking her alarm for reasons as of yet unbeknownst to her.

Her tears had dried up and she was eying Rebekah with caution, unsure of what to do. She was opposed to willingly placing herself in danger by confirming Rebekah's discovery, but she couldn't very well deny it considering the girl had seen evidence of her uncontrollable powers with her own eyes. Her silence was answer enough.

Rebekah smiled like a Cheshire cat, her thoughts beautifully chaotic.

" _Please don't tell the others what you saw. If someone finds out about this, my life will be in danger._ " She begged, praying that the other would keep her secret but fearing that it was all wishful thinking.

" _Don't worry!_ " Rebekah said, waving her off, all shock gone from her face, replaced by an ironic smile. " _We have secrets ourselves._ " _Oh, if only she knew...Well, no time like the present..._ She thought, making a split-second decision to reveal her own true nature. Noticing that Dahlia was focused on the now normal-looking flame, which she put out seconds later without blowing it out or touching it, Rebekah spoke to grab her attention. " _Look at me!_ " She commanded as she focussed on the blood singing beneath her blonde friend's supple flesh, her inner monster already showing its face.

Dahlia looked up, confused. When Rebekah had her full attention, she brought the candle up to illuminate her features.

Shocked and afraid, Dahlia desperately tore at the covers that she was cocooned beneath and scrambled out of the bed to the farthest side from Rebekah, pressing her body against the wall wishing for it to swallow her whole. She studied the monster before her, wide-eyed and holding her hands out as if to prevent an attack. What had she gotten herself into? She had been calmly living in the devil's den for more than 48 hours...

" _Don't come near me!_ " Dahlia gasped out, her breath catching in her throat, her voice strained and pitchy from crying and the mad fear that squeezed her in its clutches. The black veins vibrated beneath Rebekah's once green eyes which were now dark and bloodshot, her fangs fully extended. She looked like a creature off the page of a horror novel, one that had been brought to life.

Once she was satisfied that her friend had understood what she was, Rebekah's face returned to normal. Her left brow was raised in question while her lips had turned up at the corners. " _No reason to be afraid. Even less so now. If I really would've wanted to kill you, I would've done it the moment Nik brought you home._ " She said, nonchalantly, and looking mildly affronted.

" _What do you mean? I never even knew vampires existed! I thought they were a mythical creation one only reads about in stories._ " Dahlia replied. " _Either way, I'm at a disadvantage. I don't even have control over my powers. You, on the other hand, can kill me in a split second without batting an eyelash._ "

" _Yes, vampires are real. So are werewolves, ghosts and witches, of course. Regardless, please keep your calm! I repeat, I do not want to hurt you!_ " Rebekah calmly explained. " _Anyhow, I came to say good night. I'm going to give you space; let you process what occurred tonight and we'll talk tomorrow, okay? Good night!_ " She turned towards the door and pulled it open.

" _Good night._ " Was all Dahlia replied, watching the door close after the blonde. She was too overwhelmed to say anything else. She slowly got into bed and tried to relax, knowing all this new knowledge wouldn't allow her to get a good night's sleep.

**~*~*~**

**Flashback: Mikaelson Mansion, 1 pm**

A young-looking, brown haired girl walked around the mansion in search of the either of the two heads of the household. She was one of the new help Elijah had hired a few years earlier.

Having searched the entire mansion without finding either of the two individuals she was looking for, Lilith, for that was her name, headed towards the last place her masters were likely to be, the library. Knocking on the door, she waited for a response from within.

"Come in," a female voice replied.

Opening the door, Lilith walked inside. The only person that was in the room was the elder Mr. Mikaelson's lover, Celeste, who was flipping through the pages of a leather-bound book, the yellowed pages giving away its old age.

"Yes, Lilith?" Celeste asked with a lilting French accent, looking up at the girl who was standing just inside of the doorway.

"Hello, Miss. Might you know where the Mr. Mikaelsons are?" The girl asked shyly.

"Neither of the brothers are home at the moment, my sweet. I can take a message for them if you'd like."

"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to burden you. After all, it's a matter of grave concern and I don't know if I should tell anyone else about it, before getting their approval."

The importance of the message had insured that Lilith had Celeste's full attention. "That important, you say? Well, fear not, my dear, Elijah trusts me with his life. He would never be disappointed with you for telling me such a thing. If it eases your conscience, I assure you, I will tell him what you said the minute he sets foot within the mansion. I give you my word." Celeste gave her a warm smile, but to those who knew her, the dangerous spark in her eyes indicated great mischief.

Lilith hesitated, fidgeting nervously. She had been put in a dangerous position. If she were to decline the lady's offer, she'd be thought to be questioning whether Celeste was worth Mr. Elijah's trust. However, were she to confess what she had seen, she would risk enduring the wrath of Mr. Klaus when he found out about it. After several more moments of hesitation, she came to a decision.

Walking towards Celeste who was sitting on a red futon, she lowered her voice to a whisper as she recounted the morning's events. "This morning, when Miss Rebekah asked me to help Ms. Dahlia bathe, I noticed something out of the ordinary. As I helped rinse the lady's hair, the water, which had been calm for the duration of the bath, started to ripple. Small waves crashed against Miss Dahlia's torso and legs. That was only part of the peculiarity of the occurrence. What surprised me most was the lady's expression; her eyes widened as if in horror, her face paled and she looked to me as if expecting me to cower in fear. I promise you, I would not make false accusations without being absolutely positive that my assumptions are correct. Unfortunately, all things point to her being a witch." The girl explained, gravely. She was well aware of what her masters were and of what Celeste was as well, after all none of them hid their true presence inside the house. Nonetheless, she never failed to be taken off guard by the presence of the supernatural around her.

"I see. And you say you are sure of what you saw?" Celeste replied, deep in thought.

"Yes, I am positive." The girl agreed, nodding.

"Okay. Thank you for telling me. I'll inform Elijah about the news as soon as I see him." The witch promised, dismissing the servant.

"Thank you, Miss. Enjoy the rest of your reading."

"I will. Thank you." She smiled at her one last time, before the girl left the room.

Once she was once again alone in the room, Celeste put away her mother's grimoire on the shelf reserved for her own books and sat back down on the couch. Deep in thought, she pondered over the information Lilith had shared with her. So, not only did Dahlia seem to be a witch, but she seemed to also be a special kind of witch. Her grandmother had informed her of the existence of a specific kind of witches that can manipulate the four elements. The elders call them Elemental witches. They are known to be much more powerful than regular witches because they do not use spells to manifest their power. They tend to visualize what they want to happen, and it manifests outside them. The most powerful of them are so in tune with nature that nature knows what they want without having to "specify" it using their imagination. But, considering Dahlia's reaction to her power manifesting itself, it was clear that she lacked control; she was most likely untrained. This was quite probable seeing as, due to their exceptional nature, Elementals were much more uncommon in this world. Their powers do not manifest with every generation. If a woman or a man is an elemental, it is likely that only their grandson or granddaughter will inherit those powers. Sometimes, it can even skip 3 generations.

All things considered, with a little training, Dahlia could prove to be quite the asset in the witches' power struggle with the vampires. She would have to take it upon herself to learn more about Dahlia and convince her to accept being trained by her. She needed to master her powers, for everyone's well being, hers included. It was settled, she would teach her control and once she was ready, Dahlia could take her rightful place on the side of the witches. A great war was coming and it was time to pick ones allies.

An hour or so later, Elijah finally returned home, Niklaus following shortly behind him. Fortunately, something seemed to have preoccupied the latter, so she had the chance to talk to her lover without the risk of his brother overhearing. Just in case, she began burning sage to ensure they could speak in private.

The door to the library opened and Elijah stepped in.

"Hello, Celeste." His mouth turned down in a frown, his brows furrowing. "Is that sage I smell?"

"Bonjour, mon cher. Yes, that is sage. I have something I need to talk about and I would like to ensure others won't eavesdrop. Please, take a seat."

Heading for the chair behind the large mahogany table, he pulled it out and sat down facing his lover. "What is the matter, Celeste? You have me worried."

"Fear not, my love. I'm very much well. The information I hold is regarding your new guest, Dahlia. Lilith came to inform me today that, while bathing, Dahlia seemed to practise magic." Elijah's eyebrows raised in mild shock. "Yes, she's a witch. But, she's not in control of her powers. This is why I plan on convincing her to let me train her how to take full advantage of her capabilities. I have a feeling, call it female intuition," she said, smirking, knowing full well that intuition was not what prompted the knowledge, "that Mademoiselle Chantraine is much more powerful than one may think. I'll be able to tell once I evaluate her." She smiled sweetly at her lover, withholding part of her discovery. _What he doesn't know won't hurt him_ , she thought. _Dahlia's power could be lethal in the hands of the enemy. It's best to avoid this information falling into the wrong hands. Hands like those of that manipulative brother of his, Niklaus._

"A witch? Well, that's a...pleasant surprise, I suppose." Elijah said, running one of his hands through his hair, deep in thought. "You say she lacks training...Has Niklaus been aware of this turn of events?" He asked, a little on edge.

"No. Lilith was looking for the two of you earlier today but she encountered me here in the library. I informed her of you absence and convinced her to tell me what she had to say to you with the promise that I would inform you of the matter immediately upon your arrival."

"Good. It pains me to say this, for he is my brother, but he is not to be trusted with her. He's power hungry and he won't hesitate to take advantage of Dahlia's capabilities if it suits his purposes…" He sighed, concerned for their guest and saddened by what he would have to do to ensure Dahlia's safety.

 _We're on the same page, for once,_ Celeste thought, her conscience eased at having made the right choice.

"I must speak to Rebekah about this, but I am sure she'll agree as to the fact that something must be done to keep Niklaus from ever finding out that Dahlia's a witch, at least for now. If it's not too much to ask, I'd like you to perform a memory spell on my brother. Create it so that, in the case where her nature is revealed to him, he forgets what she is the moment he leaves her presence. Will you do that for me?"

"Of course, my love. I can't recall the spell at the moment, but I'll look through my grimoire at once and do the spell once I have all the ingredients I need. I will need something of Niklaus' to be able to do the spell." She said, coming over to him and sitting on the edge of his desk facing him.

Elijah's hand came to rest on the end of her thigh, the skin closest to her knee, his left hand gently massaging the skin through the material of her dress. "I'll take care of that. I'll bring you something he is not too fond of and will not notice its absence."Guilt gripped him with the realization that he was once again betraying his brother.

"Smile, my sweet." She whispered to him, placing her hand on his cheek and pulling his face closer to her as she leaned down to meet him halfway, their lips capturing each other in a passionate kiss.

Now that one problem was solved, a change of topic was in order. "Onto lighter topics. Tell me, how was your day?" With this, Celeste succeeded in distracting Elijah from the dark thoughts that always returned to his brother's (usually lack of) well-being. The rest of the time was spent as a couple until reality intruded on their happy place and Elijah was swooped away by Rebekah.

**A/N: Thanks for reading & stay tuned for the next chapter! It'll only get better from now on ;) **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Trip Down Memory Lane

**Elijah's Bed Chambers: The Next Morning**

Elijah had promised Celeste he would bring something of Niklaus' so she could do the spell, but what item's missing presence would his brother overlook? Niklaus knew the placement of everything in his room and would undoubtedly realize if something was not where he had last left it. Elijah paced the length of the room, as if trapped within it by a boundary spell, all the while trying to find a solution to the problem he was faced with. There was also the fact that his treasured morals prevented him from taking something that wasn't his without feeling guilty, even if he would be returning it later on…

Suddenly, his head snapped up as a thought filtered into his consciousness. What if the item that would prove useful for the spell _was not actually_ in Niklaus' room, but it had sentimental value to his brother? He knew just the thing he was looking for!

He sped out of the room heading straight for the dark and dusty attic, one of the parts of the house that had mostly likely been out of use for a while. He pushed open the door, surprised to find it was still in great shape having made no sound as he entered. The room he stepped into was one of the unoccupied rooms of the house, a room that was fully furnished despite its haunting emptiness. He headed for the cherry wood dresser, taking out a medium-sized wooden box that he hadn't touched in centuries. Vampires, especially ones that had roamed the Earth for as long as he had, had few prized possessions. Being on the run constantly didn't allow one the indulgence of bringing much with them. And yet, this box had accompanied his younger brother wherever he went. Who could ever guess that there were things that held sentimental value to a person like Niklaus?

Gently opening the lid, he took out a light-coloured, wooden knight that sat atop a horse, holding a spear in one hand, the reins in another. The detail of the toy continued to astound him time and time again, considering it had been carved by a 9 year old. It was clear that Niklaus' artistic abilities had manifested from a raw age and have only improved over time.

His brother had carved the "brave knight" figurine himself, as a gift to his father, most likely in hopes of finally pleasing their frigid, heartless father. Thankfully, the toy had never reached its intended owner, instead being passed on to Rebekah a few days after it was created. (Who knows what Mikael would've done to precious gift, given that the _bastard son_ had been the child to carve it? Smash it would be as good a guess as any, if only to spite Niklaus and crush his hopes of ever being accepted and loved like his other siblings…) The knight had been one of only two things that could calm Rebekah down when she was afraid–it was intended to make her brave and it had certainly achieved its purpose, the other being a linen puppet he helped Bekah make when they were younger. If it had survived, it must have gotten tossed in with Bekah's own belongings.

Elijah wasn't supposed to know that his brother had kept the knight all these years, but he had seen his brother take the box out a while ago and found out where he had placed it. For now, the toy would do. Once Celeste was done, he would return it safely. He returned the box to its place inside the dresser and left the room, closing the door after him.

Tucking the figurine inside one of the inner pockets of his suit, Elijah went straight to Celeste's bed chamber. The spell would have to be done as soon as possible to ensure Miss Dahlia's safety. If there was anything he knew about his brother, it was that Niklaus was relentless when it came to amassing more power.

Having arrived in the east wing of the house where Celeste's bed chamber was located, Elijah listened for any heartbeats and focussed in on the one that was most familiar to him. She was indeed in her room, so out of mere politeness, he stopped in front of the door and knocked. Seconds later, his brown haired beauty opened the door, a large smile lighting her face.

"Elijah, mon amour, you know my door is always open to you." Celeste greeted, her arms opening to welcome him into her embrace.

"You know me better than that, love. A gentleman never barges in." He whispered, into her soft hair. As usual, her lavender scent calmed him.

"Yes, yes. A gentleman through and through. Come inside and let us talk in privacy." She said, as they stepped away from each other. She grabbed his hand as she turned away from him, pulling him deeper into the room and towards an expensive-looking, brown couch.

He let himself be led by her, but not before closing the door. The room's warmth, fuelled by the wood that was burning in the nearby fireplace, and illusion of safety enveloped him as he sat beside her on the couch. Celeste constantly burned sage when she was in her room, ensuring that no prying ears could overhear anything they were not supposed to be privy to.

"I've brought you something of Niklaus', as I promised." He pulled the tiny knight from within his jacket and placed it in her outstretched hand.

"Good. Thank you. Let me do the spell right now. There's no use in delaying it."

She placed her other hand over the knight's roundhead and began chanting, her eyes closed tight in deep focus. Her body stiffened, her hands clenching around the toy, claw-like. If she wasn't human, Elijah would have feared that her grip would crush to pulp the toy she was grasping. Minutes later, her hands and face muscles relaxed and she opened her eyes to reveal her gentle brown orbs.

"From now on, whenever magic is performed in front of him, he will forget it. I anchored the spell to his daylight ring to ensure its permanence." Her tone was sharp and business-like, but her face was relaxed as they traded enamoured glances.

"Always thinking ahead, my dear." Elijah pointed out smiling proudly. His left hand weaved itself into her dark hair and he used it to pull her face to his for a scorching kiss.

"I ask you to please forgive me for I have one more favour to ask of you." He said as he laid one more brief kiss on her now closed lips before he pulled away. He grabbed one of her hands in his and massaged it with his own as he elaborated. "Our guest is quite inexperienced in the field of magic, as you well know. If she is to protect herself in this city full of supernatural beings whose talents far outweigh hers, she must learn to control and harness her powers. Will you please train her in the art of magic?"

"For you, Elijah, there are few things I wouldn't do." She replied, laughing quietly, her eyes soft. "Though I'm quite surprised that she has yet to master her powers." She expressed, her brows drawn together in a deep, concerned frown and her lips turned down at the corners. Continuing on, she shed yet more light on the customs of her people. "We, as witches, are usually taught by our relatives or others of our kind how to practise magic as soon as our powers manifest. They should have at the very least been under her control by now. No matter, I will do my best to help Dahlia out and help her become familiar with her abilities. She will need it if she is to protect herself from your brother...as well as from the wolves and the vampires in the city."

Elijah studied the flames burning across from him in deep concentration. _Why is she so unskilled then?_ He asked himself, rhetorically. Only Dahlia held the answer to his question. In time, she would hopefully begin to trust his family and be comfortable enough to reveal to them the story of her young life. Maybe then he could get the answer he was now searching for.

"Yes, that does indeed make little sense. I suppose we will have to wait to find out more about Miss Dahlia. When she's ready, she will surely open up to us. Regardless, you have my deep gratitude for all your help. Shall we go and inform her of this decision? Unless you are busy, of course, in which case—"

"It's quite alright, Elijah. I will accompany you." She stated, interrupting his hesitant verbosity.

The two stood up and exited the room. Hand in hand, they walked to Dahlia's bedroom. On their way there, Elijah heard two voices chattering, one of them being that of his little sister who seemed to be entertaining her new female companion. Once the couple arrived at their destination, they noticed that the door had been left ajar. The two girls were sitting across from each other on Dahlia's bed, their skirts crinkled and taking up much of the space surrounding them. They were talking animatedly, giggling and gossiping like old friends that were catching up after a long and unbearable separation.

" _Hello, girls._ " Elijah greeted, while his companion smiled but kept quiet.

Both girls' heads spun around, eyes wide, to face the intruders, so caught up in their chatter that they had not noticed the other presences. " _Good day, Mr. Mikaelson. Please, come in_." Dahlia responded from across the room, a smile returning to her face.

Rebekah greeted her brother in English before turning back towards her friend, her hand placed on the other's arm as she said, " _You can call him Elijah, my dear. His first name is reserved for friends and family, and you are now one of them._ " She grinned then turned to face Elijah with a wicked smile, for only a moment's duration. " _Besides, Mr. Mikaelson makes him feel old._ " She added teasingly, once again facing Dahlia, making herself and Elijah laugh.

Celeste watched the other two girls' easy friendship and forced herself to hide the envy she felt towards Dahlia for winning Rebekah's favour so quickly, while she, as Elijah's lady friend, had yet to be accepted into the family by his siblings.

Elijah, on the other hand, couldn't help but watch on, a genuine and warm smile plastered on his face. He, too, was shocked that Rebekah had warmed up to Dahlia in such a short amount of time. Lord knows, his sister was never one to form such an easy camaraderie with another young lady–Celeste being living proof of that. Perhaps it was their vampire nature that inspired such alienation and mistrust in all members of the Mikaelson family. Nonetheless, Elijah was overjoyed that Rebekah now had someone (outside of her siblings, of course) with whom she could enjoy herself. His train of thought was interrupted by Dahlia's next words.

" _Alright. So,_ Elijah, _to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?_ " Dahlia asked, grinning, glad to be accepted so quickly by the youngest Mikaelson.

"Celeste, can you make sure we are guaranteed some privacy?" He asked, returning to the matter at hand, and gestured to his ears. His lover understood immediately and began chanting as Elijah shut the door.

Dahlia started in shock and wonder at Celeste, struck by the realization that she was a witch. But, unlike her, Celeste exuded power & control that Dahlia could only dream of having at this stage in her life. Looking at the woman, she felt like a toddler still riding a bike with training wheels while Celeste was a circus master riding a one-wheeler with hands tied behind her back and a blindfold on. If there was one thing she was grateful for at this moment though, it was that feeling inferior only motivated Dahlia to do her utmost possible to attain Celeste's level of witchcraft.

"It's done." Celeste answered, noticing Dahlia's expression and looking smug.

Well, a healthy dose of competitiveness never hurt anyone...hopefully.

" _And now, to answer your question. Celeste and I have come to tell you that she offers to help you master your magic abilities. As you have already noticed, she's a witch, like you. One who is very powerful, too_." He added, smiling at the woman standing beside him.

" _Hmmm, it's not the worst idea._ " Rebekah said, nodding thoughtfully. She couldn't believe she was actually considering it as a possibility. She didn't trust nor like her brother's play thing. In fact, to say that she disliked Celeste would be a huge understatement. And to trust her with her friend's safety? Well, that's a whole other matter. This could all be motivated by the fact that she never thought anyone worthy of her brother even if he was more than capable of taking care of himself, but she'd never admit to that. In any case, they didn't have much choice...No one was to know about Dahlia's status as a witch except for a very limited, and trusted few. She was now forced to put all her trust, and Dahlia's safety, in her brother's hands. He trusted Celeste so she would have to, as well, for now. She had to admit that the woman was powerful and seemed capable of training Dahlia. But, Rebekah vowed to herself, if she ever even so much as _thought_ of crossing her, she couldn't be held accountable for torturing and then killing her. No one hurt her family or friends and lived.

" _Dahlia, it's your choice. If you want my opinion, I would suggest that you accept Celeste's gracious offer._ " She scoffed internally, but forced herself to remain civil, for the sake of her brother. " _You don't have to make a decision right now. Take time to think it over._ " When she had finished all she had to say, she left her friend to her thoughts and turned to her brother.

"Elijah, _can I talk to you outside for a minute?_ " She asked, somewhere between hesitant and determined.

"Oui. I'll leave you to talk" He smiled, encouraging a still-silent Celeste to engage with a thoughtful-looking, yet hesitant, Dahlia. "Rebekah." He said, gesturing towards the door. He waited for his sister to step outside, before following behind her and closing the door after himself.

"Let's go to my room. It's the closest to where we are." They sped to her room; Rebekah immediately sat on the bed, while Elijah headed for a comfortable looking, white armchair, placed strategically across from her bed.

"What did you want to speak to me about, sister?" He inquired.

"Something crossed my mind as you mentioned your own idea." She answered vaguely, knowing that anyone could eavesdrop, but aware that he knew what she meant. "I wanted to get your opinion on it first, before mentioning it to Dahlia." He nodded in acquiescence so she continued. "From what I understand, Dahlia seems to be from a well-off family, and therefore, she must be well-educated. But, for her to live comfortably, now that she's in America, she should learn the language. So, I thought you might be interested in being the one to teach her how to speak English. Nik can't be trusted with anyone given his temper and careless attitude, and I have no patience when it comes to explaining things or teaching others." She admitted casually. "You, on the other hand, would make a great teacher! You're kind, patient, intelligent and very social, in other words, exactly what we need. What do you think?" She asked while absentmindedly toying with the ends of her hair, seeming a little nervous about his reaction.

He pondered the idea for a minute or so before taking the time to reply. "I suppose you're right. It might be difficult at times given that I have to take care of business matters, but I'm sure that, for Dahlia's sake, I can set aside a few hours a day to help her out."

"Well then, it's settled, isn't it?" She said, clapping her hands once, pleased that her idea was so easily accepted. She jumped off the bed, eager to return to her friend's room and inform her of her brilliant idea. "Shall we let her know while we're on the topic of tutoring?"

"Yes. But we must let her decide when she would like to start the sessions. Her...natural inclinations are more important than her language proficiency, at the moment, for obvious reasons. Besides, the French community in town is quite large, so I'm sure she can handle getting by with her maternal tongue, if only until the first matter improves." He explained as they returned to Dahlia's room.

The two informed Dahlia about their conversation and explained that whenever she was ready to begin with the sessions, she should let either one of them know. Dahlia explained that there was no need to wait for she had already made her decision. She had already informed Celeste of her wish to train with her right after the Mikaelsons had left her room and she was visibly excited about it. She also agreed that the magic training should begin as soon as possible, but that the language sessions with Elijah could begin within two weeks' time.


	5. Not A Bad Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I am so so so extremely sorry that I've been MIA all this time. I just really haven't had any inspiration to write this chapter. Luckily, this morning, something clicked and finally came up with the finished product. This time, it's a filler, BUT guess what? It's all Dahlia & Klaus moments! 3 So, enjoy & let me know what you think! :)Love you all!
> 
> ps. The chapter title is inspired by the song that dragged my muse back (it's called Not a Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake. Give it a listen- I think it fits nicely with the story!)

**Mikaelson Mansion: A week later; Friday, 6 pm**

For the past five days, Celeste held hour-long sessions with Dahlia to help her in her quest of mastering her powers. She had proposed two-hour sessions at first, but considering Dahlia's inexperience she would be unable to handle the exhaustion that would accompany that long of a session. Thus, they had agreed to one-hour, daily meetings until Dahlia became accustomed to her abilities and they would later increase it to two hours. Their meetings were to take place at the least conspicuous place in town - preferably unknown to Niklaus - which would be hard to come by considering the Mikaelsons had practically built the town from its very foundation. To almost everyone's surprise (except perhaps Elijah's), Celeste had just the place.

The lady in question owned two houses, one of them being the one she resided at when she did not stay with the Mikaelsons– for she was free to come and go as she pleased, the other a much smaller house on the outskirts of New Orleans, near the cemetery where her ancestors were buried. The second house used to belong to Celeste's great-grandparents. After Celeste's widowed mother, Arya, passed away three years ago, she passed the residence down to her daughter. No one, except her fellow witches, knew that the house now belonged to Celeste because her mother had been disowned by her family for marrying an older man whom her parents did not approve of. Being rich however, Arya's husband contacted the Governor (the person acting as Governor was the current Governor's father both being good friends of the family) and, given that he still owed their family several favours, Celeste's father succeeded in gaining possession of the home, after its former owners had passed away. Regardless of how Celeste or her family had procured the house, it was now hers and she and Dahlia would be safe there during their rendezvous.

After each rendezvous, Celeste assigned Dahlia a few practice exercises to complete, were she to ever have spare time during the day. Tonight, finding herself all alone in her bedroom with several hours to go until dinner time, Dahlia figured it would be best if she practised what she had learned that morning. So, for the past half hour, she had lit, put out and then relit the candle she was holding.

A firm rapping on the closed, wooden door interrupted her deep concentration.

Confused, she snuffed the candle out and set it on her night table, before getting out of bed and padding over to the door. Hesitantly, she pulled it open, unsure of who was requesting to see her.

She was greeted with a smiling Niklaus, dressed in a grey vest and pant ensemble with a navy collared dress shirt, looking handsome as usual.

"Good evening, Niklaus." She greeted him, pleasantly surprised and unused to seeing him smiling; he had been very courteous but short with her whenever she did see him around the house. Nevertheless, she couldn't hold back a small smile, his own seemingly infectious.

"Good evening, Dahlia! _I was hoping you would offer me the pleasure of strolling with you through town, before dinner, tonight. I know I have been rather absent for the duration of your stay with us but I would like to remedy the situation. I was hoping to show you the beauty of New Orleans, perhaps more than once given that it is impossible to see the entire town in a couple of hours._ "

His offer completely perplexed her. Why was he being so different, all gentlemanly and sweet, all of a sudden? She wasn't deluded into thinking a man of his status would ever be inclined to see her as more than a fleeting play-thing, given the circles Niklaus ran in. A man like him could have his pick of any woman. A girl like her had nothing to offer him, being that she was an orphan with nothing to her name. And yet, she couldn't deny that she enjoyed being offered his full attention. Throwing caution to the wind– just this once, she promised herself-–she accepted his offer. Practising magic was extremely important, but she was exhausted and deserved a little break. Besides, she needed to get acquainted with the town if she was to live here from now on and not get lost every time she had to leave the house.

" _Sure._ _Let me grab my shoes and we can leave._ "

He waved her off. " _Take all the time you need. There is no rush._ "

Once she was ready, they stepped out arm in arm. As they walked down the busy street, Niklaus pointed out the most prominent buildings surrounding them- an art museum famous for its French-American paintings, the saloons where New Orleans' gentry met weekly for organised events, etc. Niklaus explained that ladies looking to get married would attend such events with lady friends, sometimes of their age, other times as protégés of older dames, in hopes that they would catch the eye of an eligible bachelor and would be asked to dance and spend time with him. The more they strolled, the more Niklaus had to stop every now and again to talk to people he knew. And yet, as minutes ticked by, she grew more and more comfortable being around him.

In an attempt at small talk, Klaus began asking her questions to find out more about her. " _So, tell me, what motivated you to move to America?_ " he asked, looking down at his companion.

She stayed silent, trying to figure out how to respond to his question without giving too much away. " _I come from a modest family background so once I was old enough to marry, I was expected to find a husband and move out so that I would no longer be a burden. Fortunately, my parents happen to know the Governor through a common friend. So, the last time he visited France, they inquired about what it would take to send myself and Veronique to America. They've always had high hopes for me. They thought America might offer me a higher chance of finding a suitable husband since I seemed unable to catch the eye of a gentleman of my own background._ " Niklaus picked up on the underlying bitterness in her tone. He suspected that there was more to be said about what happened between Dahlia and her parents to force her into leaving her country, but he didn't want to upset her by pressing the matter. If she wasn't comfortable sharing something, he'd wait for her.

He felt a sudden urge to scoff, but instead suppressed it and let out a soft sigh. " _See! That is one of the reasons why one should distance themselves from others. The pain is not worth any amount of fleeting love._ " He stated before whispering under his breath, "You don't deserve to be hurt."Only vampire hearing could pick up his murmur. Even if she would have heard it, she wouldn't understand what he had said.

" _I disagree. Besides, that is such a tragic and heartbreaking way to live...Everyone needs to feel loved and he or she_ _ **deserves**_ _to be loved, no matter the kind of person he or she may be. Excuse me for bringing religion into the conversation but it helps to make the point. God loves us regardless of our sins. And we, as...um, humans...or vampires, or whatever we may be, are supposed to love others wholeheartedly and without punishing the fallen for their actions._ "

" _You may think that's right, but maybe not everyone deserves to be loved._ " He responded, dejected. To Dahlia, his response seemed incomplete. It was.

_At least, not I. Not after everything I have done._ He thought to himself.

She looked around shyly, making note of the fact that they were walking by a lovely pond, before whispering " _Why do I have the impression that we are no longer talking in general terms?_ "

He glanced at her briefly before looking ahead. " _I don't know what you mean._ "

_So this is how it's going to be?_ She asked herself. Clearly she had stepped into uncharted territory, something he was less than happy about. Though that was a bit of an understatement...

" _Your brother and sister love you, you know. I can tell by the way Rebekah talks about you when we're alone. I'm sure you have problems, like any other family, but fraternal love knows no bounds._ " She explained, gripping his hand in a comforting manner. He made no move to pull away but after a minute or so, she let it go, not wanting to press her luck.

He listened to her, his face an emotionless mask, giving nothing of what he was thinking away. And yet, though he didn't show it, he did find comfort in her touch, and even in her simple, warm presence at his side. As usual though, he attempted to pass it off as a passing fancy though something at the back of his mind continued to nag him.

She, on the other hand, let her words hang between them, hoping he would believe her. She didn't expect a reaction; she just wanted to reassure him that he was cared for (despite what he may think), as an outsider, assuming by how Niklaus and his siblings behaved around one another that his outlook on love had a lot to do with his family and his past. How, that was unclear, but hopefully she would find out in the future.

On a different note, she added: " _If you want to talk, about anything, you can confide in me. I would never betray your trust. I will_ _ **never**_ _betray your trust._ " She stated earnestly, looking in his eyes.

Oddly, he believed and trusted her. How he got there, he was completely unsure; especially given that he had only known her for only a week and in that time, he could count on one hand the amount of times he exchanged words with her. But, all the same, how could he not believe or trust her? Her ocean blue eyes emitted nothing but truth and devotion. That was exactly what he was searching for in people, only this time, she felt it of her own free will, unlike most of his "trusted" friends. Besides, so far, she had done nothing to make him doubt her. If anything, she had treated him nicer than people who had known and been around him far longer than she had. It was wonderful and yet so very unsettling to be treated with so much kindness, and hard for a man like Niklaus not to question the person's motives, even those of such a sweet creature as Dahlia.

Both individuals were trapped in their own thoughts. Dahlia let out a quiet laugh, thinking of how the conversation had went from light-hearted to soul-bearing within a half hour's time.

Picking up on the lovely sound, Klaus snapped out of his trance and looked down at his companion, a smile lighting up his usually somber features.

" _What has you so suddenly amused?_ " He asked, genuinely curious. He found himself wanting to be privy to all of Dahlia's inner musings, to be trusted by her…He redirected his focus to the present moment, once again unsettled by where his mind was leading him.

" _I was pondering on the depth of our conversation. It's amusing how quickly it escalated from light-hearted to soul-bearing._ "

She, yet again, thought about that odd discrepancy she was experiencing, the one between how long she had known him and how comfortable she was around him. It really wasn't healthy to be so at ease with a person she barely knew. The strange thing was that she had yet to experience such a thing with anyone other than the Mikaelsons. They had this talent of bringing out her true personality and making her feel as if she had known them for years instead of a mere week.

" _Does it bother you?_ " Klaus questioned.

" _Does what bother me?_ " She responded, her brows furrowed in confusion.

" _Talking about...personal things. I ask this because, while talking about your parents, you were very vague. If you don't want to talk about something, tell me; I don't want to you feel uncomfortable._ " He gazed at her with piercing eyes, meaning everything he said.

"Merci." she looked up at him giving him a warm smile. " _I promise I'll do so if I feel the need to._ "

By this time, their stroll led them to the other end of the park.

" _I think it's time we head home. Otherwise, my brother and sister might fear for your safety and think I've kidnapped you._ " He said, an amused smirk tugging the corners of his mouth.

Home. She liked the sound of that...In reply to his statement, her body shook in laughter. " _Yes, I think you may be right._ "

They walked home in silence, enjoying what time they had left together. As they entered the house, Niklaus took her hand in his and laid a kiss on her knuckles. " _Thank you for agreeing to accompany me. I hope you will give me the pleasure of doing so again soon._ "

Blushing, she replied coquettishly, " _I had a great time. Thank you! As for the next time, I'm sure we'll figure something out._ " She excused herself to go upstairs to her room, unable to hide the huge grin that lit her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a little review to let me know how I'm doing so far! :) Thank you!


	6. Elementals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> N/A: Hi guys, I’m back! :) It’s been quite a while, I know, and I hope you’ll forgive me & my lack of creativity. I’ve debated over and over whether I should abandon the idea, but I’ve decided to work until I bring it to its conclusion so I will persevere and I hope you’ll bear with me.  
> Enjoy the story and leave me some feedback or comments. Do you like where the story is going? What do you think will happen? What are you looking forward to or want more of in the story? Let me know & I might grant your wishes ;)
> 
> xoxo

**New Orleans, Two Months Later: September, 1818**

Time flew by but not without leaving marks on the inhabitants of New Orleans. Some were easily noticeable, others unbeknownst but to those reeling from its consequences. Dahlia slowly but surely improved her English proficiency while gaining a mastery over her still mysterious powers. She had been meeting with Celeste weekly and had even become strong enough to begin learning how to practise magic without the need to vocalize the spell.

Today would be the first day she would be training outside. There was still a side of her powers that she had yet to explore. Celeste, on her part, was dubious about her protegée being an elemental given its rarity and chose to keep her suspicions to herself. However, now that Dahlia was more versed in the art of magic, Celeste planned to test the possibility of her would be unique powers to understand just how powerful the new addition to the Mikaelson family was, as well as to put an end to her bubbling curiosity.

As instructed, when Dahlia arrived at the woman's meeting place—the second of Celeste's properties, she walked to the back of the house. Celeste was in the garden, perched on a small bench and waiting for her. She got up when she saw Dahlia and strolled towards her.

"Bonjour, ma chère!" She greeted as she embraced her younger companion. Despite the animosity harbored by Celeste, and Dahlia could only guess the reason, of her being quickly and so warmly welcomed by the three Mikaelson siblings, the two had forged a seemingly strong friendship. Nonetheless, even though Dahlia remained unsure about whether or not Celeste's feelings were genuine, she decided to set aside her doubts and trust her new friend.

"Hello, Celeste!" Dahlia responded, making use of her new vocabulary. "How do you do?" The words still sounded foreign upon her tongue though she could now understand their meaning.

"I am well, thank you. Yourself?" Celeste answered smoothly before adding, "On parle anglais maintenant, hein?" [We speak English now, do we?] Her lips twisted in a smirk, but to those who knew her, there was a hidden mockery disguised behind what came off as mere amusement.

"Well, thank you. Oui, _I try to take advantage of every opportunity to put my new knowledge into practice._ " The blonde explained in her native tongue but not before answering Celeste's first question in English.

"That's good." Celeste conceded. " _Now, for our lesson, let's start with practice on how to use magic in self defense. If I were to attack you now, how could you use your surroundings to your advantage? Also, for now, I'll pretend not to be a witch so you have the upper hand._ " The brunette explained in French and looked at Dahlia expectantly, awaiting an answer to her question.

Dahlia struggled for an answer but to no avail. Noticing her blank expression, Celeste put her out of her misery. "Nothing?" She asked, double-checking and then took the silence for an answer. "Alright. _There are several possibilities at your disposal. One is to make the ground beneath me give out. That way I will fall in the new hole and will be unable to retaliate. If you're strong enough, you can draw on the life source of the living things around you in order to regain the energy you'll drain during spells. But, worry not, if you fail, you wouldn't be the only one. Few witches can actually do such a thing._ " Herself excluded, but Celeste chose not to voice that personal information. She was never one to furnish information that she decided others need not absolutely know, especially a potential opponent.

Dahlia absorbed everything.

" _Time to put it in practice. Try to get rid of me in a way other than one you have learned in the past few weeks."_

Her pupil nodded. She looked at the ground around Celeste and willed it to give out beneath her. Nothing happened.

With renewed efforts, she focussed all her energy on bringing her idea to fruition. Still no results.

Noting the lack of magic, Celeste adopted a new approach. " _Alright. Clearly that's not working. Let's try something_ a little different _._ " She stated before launching herself at Dahlia and knocking her to the ground. She placed her hands around the blonde's neck, in a chokehold, and tightened her grip.

" _What are you doing?_ " Dahlia choked out, in breathless panic.

" _I'm using your strong emotions in my favour. You may have been showing no results earlier but that's because there was little pressure to react. However, with a threat to your life, your panic and survival instinct will awaken your innate gift._ " She explained. " _Don't think, just act. Fight me off!_ " Of course she wasn't planning on causing Dahlia much harm but she needed to be convincing, otherwise Dahlia would fail. So, she tightened her grip on the young one's neck, slowly cutting off more and more of her air supply.

Truly anxious once she felt unable to breathe properly, Dahlia acted on impulse. She laid her hand palm down on the soil feeling the energy pulse within the ground, enter her body and flow back into the soil. All she thought in that moment was, " _Get her_ off _of me!_ "

Seconds later, the earth shook all around them, the sky darkened as a strong gust of wind replaced the calm air that had once caressed them and huge tree branches snaked around Celeste's waist, quickly pulling her off Dahlia and immobilizing her against the truck of the nearby tree, a few feet from the two women.

Celeste struggled to get free, trying to remain calm but failing. Her face was marred by shock, not only at the fact that Dahlia had indeed proved to be an elemental witch (it was one thing to suspect something and another to see one's suspicions proven right), but also at her protégée's sheer power. Dahlia's fear and frustration had caused a _mini-earthquake_! Few trained witches ever reached her calibre and she had yet to even uncover her full potential. Begrudgingly, Celeste allowed herself to admit to the fact that, with a little more training, Dahlia would soon become stronger than her.

"Oh, mon Dieu! _Are you okay_?" Dahlia asked, troubled. She quickly made her way to her mentor and as her emotions regained their stability the vines around Celeste loosened and then uncoiled, freeing their captive.

"Yes." The other replied tersely, massaging her sore upper body where the vines had briefly cut off her blood flow.

" _What did I do? I wasn't aware such a thing was possible, much less that I could will it to happen._ " Dahlia exclaimed, partly confused, partly fascinated by her new capabilities.

"We _can't._ You, _however, can. You're an elemental witch. In other words, you're able to control the four elements: earth, air, fire, water and light. The wind and the small earthquake were products of the first two elements. The tree is an extension of the earth element. You can control nature, Dahlia, an extremely rare trait._ " Celeste intoned gravely. "You have much to learn."

She sighed.

" _I think that's enough magic for one day. I'm sure after that performance you're exhausted._ " She could tell the younger girl was tired from her posture and the emotion in her eyes. "We'll end today's lesson now and we'll practise more Thursday."

Dahlia nodded her consent. She was glad with the current decision, for she had much to process. Time off to herself would help with that, as would a relaxing bath.

"Good. I will see you Thursday, same time, same place."

"Alright. Thank you, Celeste!" She gave the brunette a small smile, looking apologetic for hurting her; after all, she was just trying to help her obtain results.

"Bye, chèrie."

Celeste leaned in and grasped Dahlia's hands in her own, giving them a light squeeze before the two went their separate ways. The owner of the house walked inside while Dahlia left the same way she came, heading to the place that had become her home in the past couple of months. In her daze, she rubbed her sore neck, her fingers ghosting over the soft skin which, by the time she would arrive at the mansion, would turn a dark purple.

**St Louis Cemetery, Fifteen minutes later**

On her way home, Dahlia stopped at one of the shops in town in order to buy a mixed bouquet of white and yellow tulips. As she was walking home, she felt the need to stop by the cemetery to visit Véronique since she had not come by since the funeral.

_Flashback_

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in New Orleans. The sun shone brightly, lightening the cerulean sky and the heat was surprisingly bearable for a June day. They all gathered at the chapel, where the priest recited the prayers in French, surrounded by the Mikaelson family and Celeste, who had come at Elijah's insistence. They had all come to be there for Dahlia when she needed them most. All of them had worn either white or black, out of respect for the deceased. The newcomer wore a sleeveless black summer dress; her golden hair was pinned in a side bun, the other side covered by a black rose fascinator whose mesh veil covered half her face.

Since the funeral procession began, she had been weeping silently but constantly, the handkerchief held by her mouth muffling her sobs of grief. Once they arrived at the cemetery, Rebekah had gently wrapped one of her arms around her, allowing her to cry on her shoulder as she moved her left hand up and down her friend's left arm in soothing motions.

Once the priest had finished the funeral mass, Dahlia was asked if she wanted to say a few words about her friend. She swallowed back tears, clearing her throat and nodded. She didn't leave her place but straightened up and tried to figure out how to begin. She should've thought ahead and written her thoughts down before hand but the truest of messages is better unrehearsed; it should come straight from the heart.

" _V_ _é_ _ronique and I have been friends since birth and though we were two years apart, we were inseparable. She and I were like night and day, complete opposites in appearance and personality; yet, we somehow complemented each other. I would have trusted her with my life. She was one of the only people who could make me laugh when I was crying. I remember how excited she was when we left France; she hated leaving her family behind, but she couldn't deny a call to adventure. It deeply saddens me that she didn't and will never get to enjoy life here in America, but I will do my best to live life the way she would have wanted us to. I just can't help but empathize with her parents; they didn't even have a chance to bury her somewhere near them so they could visit her resting place._ " A sob escaped her, but she continued on. " _There are only two more things I would like to add. First, I have no doubt that she is in a better place right now and she's looking down on me, listening to my eulogy and judging every word to make sure it is up to her standards._ " She let out a little laugh, imagining her friend in the afterlife. " _And lastly, if grief is the price I have to pay for having known Véronique, then I would willingly suffer ten times the pain I feel right now in exchange for the beautiful memories I have of our friendship. I love you and I will never forget you, V_ _é_ _ro; you will always remain my best friend. Save me a spot by your side._ " She said, looking at the mahogany coffin.

As they began to lower the coffin into the ground, she lost all semblance of control and her legs gave out beneath her. She would have fallen to her knees had Niklaus not caught her, wrapping his arms around her fragile frame and holding her up. He affectionately embraced her, trying in any way to offer her some semblance of comfort as her body shook with the force of her overwhelming grief.

It pained the three siblings to watch as their friend fell apart in front of them and yet be unable to alleviate her suffering. In their long existence, they had look death in the eyes countless times and, for this reason, they became almost desensitized to it but Dahlia's pain reminded them of how it had felt to lose their younger brother when they had still been human, making it easy to sympathize with what she was going through.

_End of Flashback_

Having arrived at her friend's tombstone, Dahlia leaned down and laid the flowers on the brown earth. Her eyes fixed on the engraving which said _Véronique Beauvoir 1789-1818 Beloved daughter and friend_ followed by the quote _Love will always be the guiding force in our souls_. A few tears rolled down her cheeks unbidden, but she didn't bother to wipe them. They became more and more sudden as she said a few prayers for her friend's soul, her fervour increasing with each new prayer. When she was finished, she crossed herself and looked up to the sky, sending a quick message hoping Véro was listening, promising she'd come to visit again soon, and then left.

**Mikaelson Mansion, Forty-five minutes later**

Time seemed to have no visible effect on Niklaus Mikaelson. But, was that really true? What of the growing attraction he felt towards his new companion? And could that 'passing' fancy have something to do with the reason why his usual dark craving for death had steadily decreased? All these and more were questions Nik blatantly refused to answer, even to himself, in favour of embracing ignorance. After all, ignorance is bliss. The funny thing about the universe was that, sooner or later, it had a tendency to shatter one's perfect little protective bubble and force him or her to face reality whether he or she was ready for it or not. And, despite what he believed, Niklaus Mikaelson was no exception to the rule.

The man in question was brought out of his reverie by the closing of the front gate. Someone was home, and given that his siblings had just left, it could only be Dahlia.

Regardless of the reason behind his actions, he left the comfort of his room and walked downstairs to greet the newcomer.

Hearing the creaking steps, Dahlia looked up, her face streaked by tears, and was immobilized by the intensity of Klaus' piercing gaze. She continually noticed the mysterious emotions in the depths of her companion's stormy blue eyes and she wanted nothing more than to uncover said mysteries if only he would let her get close enough to the burning flame. She knew the risk but she was willing to endure the burn.

" _Welcome back, love._ " He greeted in his usually alluring tone. His eyes immediately took in her every feature and realized she had been crying, a deep frown replacing his previous smile. For some unknown reason, he always caught himself assessing her, checking to make sure that she was intact and uninjured each time she returned home. Why he cared was one of those things he refused to face and repetitively buried deep inside him until the question arose again later (at which point, he would repeat the process).

" _Hello, Niklaus._ " She returned his greeting with a gentle smile. His little endearments never ceased to affect her, though she tried to fight her reaction knowing that nothing good would come of it. Her smile faded when she noticed his sudden change in mood.

" _You've been crying. What happened? Are you hurt?_ " He said, worry colouring his tone.

" _It's nothing._ " Her blaze response raised a few bells in his mind but he quickly came to the conclusion that it must have something to do with Véronique, for she was only vague whenever she talked about her past and other things that resulted in strong emotions on her part.

He was about to comment further, but his eyes noticed something else which they had previously missed. His eyes became focussed on her neck, more precisely on the dark finger-shaped bruises that marred her otherwise alabaster skin, murderous anger replacing his usual gentle behaviour towards her, another thing that had changed since her arrival. None of the Mikaelsons, Niklaus included, were aware that Klaus was still capable of genuine affection towards another but he had surprised them.

" _What happened to you_?" He growled out, bawling his fists up while fighting the urge to massacre an entire city for ever touching a hair on Dahlia's blonde head. He quickly closed the distance between them, his fingers pulling the collar of her dress aside so he could take a better look at her neck.

Panicked, Dahlia grappled for an answer knowing she'd be forced to lie. "Uhm, _I was walking in a less populated part of town after meeting with Celeste and I was accosted by a drunk man. He was really intoxicated; but I'm sure he didn't mean any harm._ " She used her naivety, hoping she could deflect his attention from her made-up story by clearly misinterpreting the nonexistent drunk man's behaviour.

"Why were you walking alone?I told Celeste to accompany you whenever you are together! _And of course he meant to harm you! The bruising is no testament of his good will!_ "

His reaction reassured her that she had succeeded in her attempt.

" _She was needed by one of her fellow witches for something important so she was unable to walk back with me._ I'm alright, I promise. _It's just bruising; I've endured worse._ " She tried to placate him, gently prying his hands from her neck and running her fingers over the skin of his large rough hands. When she succeeded in unclasping his tight fists, though he could have resisted her given that his strength far outweighed hers, she knew he had managed to calm down.

" _You should not have to endure such a thing..._ " He countered. He wanted to take it all away though, somehow. "Please, let me do something about it." He didn't exactly know what he was offering. To find the person who was responsible for this and make him pay for his actions? Or was he offering something more profound?

" _I'm fine, though._ " She said, unsure of what exactly he meant.

"No, you aren't. _Please, take my blood. It has the ability to cure you and given that I'm one of the oldest vampires in history, my blood is more potent than a younger vampire's, so you won't need as much._ " He said, bringing his hand to his mouth and letting his fangs extend before piercing his skin. He offered the blood to her.

She hesitated, fully aware that such an intimate act was inappropriate given their nonexistent relationship.

"I insist." He said with conviction, leaving little room for argument.

She conceded by stepping closer and bringing his hand to her mouth and moulding her lips to the sensitive skin of his wrist. His blood was decadent; it was unlike anything she had ever tasted before. It made her light-headed and euphoric.

Klaus pulled her close to him and wrapped his hand around the back of her head, holding her to him gently. The pull of his blood and Dahlia's facial expression rekindled the bright flame of desire that had been out for a while, causing old emotions to rush to the surface, unbidden and unwelcome.

Dahlia didn't know if she could ever stop but found that she wouldn't need to figure out how to when he pulled his hand away, the wound now free of blood and healing quickly.

The two stared at each other in silence, not awkward, though not fully at ease either. Acting on impulse, Dahlia leaned in and kissed his healing wrist and then cheek taking him by complete surprise with her undisguised affection. " _Thank you for your concern regarding my safety. Thank you for taking care of me when my own parents didn't. You will never know just how much I appreciate all that you and your siblings have done for me._ " She breathed softly, looking down. A moment later, she stepped back, clasped her hands together to keep from fidgeting and took her leave.

After the fact, she realized just how inappropriate her move had been and she was afraid of seeing his reaction so she never once looked up at him. If she had, maybe she would have seen the affection his eyes had for once, unable to hide and the awestruck expression that graced his face. In hindsight, the kiss was nothing compared to blood-sharing and without the moments they shared on this day, their future romance may never have begun.


	7. Suspicions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hi, everyone! So it's been a year since I've updated haha Time sure flew by. Let's just say 2014 wasn't being too kind to me. I went through a serious case of writer's block. Luckily, I came out on the other side stronger than ever. These past few months (what's it been? 6 months?), I took the time to plan the story out, figure out some major plot events, etc. which, let me tell you, was pretty darn difficult given I'm used to writing spontaneously (which seems not to have worked that well for me so I decided to listen to my bff and plan it all out). That also means that I'm trying to get a few chapters ahead of the one I'm posting so that if ever I'm drawing blanks, which Lord knows has happened way too much, I can still post one up and don't keep you waiting. So I really hope I can post the next chapter up pretty soon, that being a week or two from now, cause it answers a few questions raised in this one. So, the waiting time would be about 2 weeks, given I'm done 8 but my friend has yet to edit it for me. :) I'm trying to write chapters as fast as I can, but school has also resumed and there's also my part time job that's taking up precious time. Let's hope this chapter quenches your 6-month thirst, if only for a little bit, so you can wait patiently while I get my shit together.  
> Regarding the story, I have changed some major things. ONE, Dahlia arrives in NOLA in 1818, NOT 1819 as I first said. SECOND, when she arrives, she is 22 years old (at first, she was 19 because I wanted her younger and less experienced.) So, as you continue reading, you'll notice that she starts behaving much more maturely than before, so don't be baffled when it happens, please :) The reason I changed her age is because of her relationship with Marcel (platonic, of course)- you'll be exposed to that soon, but there's still quite a lot to cover before that.   
> So, without further ado, here's chapter 7. Enjoy!

**New Orleans, One Week Later**

Two days earlier, Elijah had called a council meeting for today to discuss an important topic, one he hadn't named when summoning the members. Now, everyone gathered around the large cherry-wood table in the Governor's office waiting for the last two members to arrive. As usual, Elijah and Niklaus Mikaelson were fashionably late to the meeting they had called.

For fifteen minutes, the members that were present stared at each other, each wondering what the matter of discussion would be for today. They began whispering among themselves, trying to piece together random information to complete the grand picture. The Governor, Ronan LaMontagne, joined in the conversation, adding insignificant tidbits of information he had at his disposal so as not to seem like he was withholding things from the rest of the council. His face was calm and collected, in other words, the picture of honesty; however, the real face was hidden behind the mask he was holding on to so tightly.

Ronan had eyes and ears all over New Orleans, reporting back to him with news. It's how he found out, from the esteemed gentleman, Mr. Truitt, that the younger Mr. Mikaelson had rescued a young girl from the wolves' clutches months ago. Unfortunately, her friend had lost her life in the attack, as had the driver of the carriage they had ridden in. The young lady, Miss Dahlia Chantraine (presumably an orphan) had then been taken as their ward and had lived under their protection ever since.

When he found out, he scoffed. The girl was most surely an orphan though not for the reasons most suspected. No one would ever like to have such a vile creature around, especially if her magic was of no use to anyone… yes, he knew she was a witch. He wasn't a heartless monster out to kill innocents, and Dahlia was undeniably not an innocent. Her powers had brought nothing but heartache to her esteemed family. Ronan's only regret was that Veronique's life couldn't be spared in the process of ridding the world of the Chantraine witch. But, as he always said, the end justifies the means.

Ronan was brought out of his reverie by the closing of his office door.

"Gentlemen, Governor." Elijah greeted, taking his seat at the end of the table, Niklaus following behind him but he chose to remain standing behind his brother. With a single gaze upon Niklaus' surly look, the Governor, along with every other man in the room fell silent. Each of them experiencing the shift of power from one end of the table to the other.

"Mr. Mikaelson, we've been waiting for you to join us. I'm so _glad_ you could make it." The Governor's voice was falsely polite, but Klaus and Elijah both sensed the mocking undertone that the rest of the men in the room were oblivious to. His impertinence was absolutely baffling given the fact that he, the human, was throwing lines at Original vampires, not exactly the kinds of beings anyone had the courage to mess with. Clearly the man was either stupid or extremely naive. Klaus really wished he could add the man's heart to his collection, not because it was worth anything but because it would finally silence him with all that blood flooding his mouth. "Could you please clarify the reason for this meeting? I'm sure the rest of my friends are just as _curious_ as I am." He added, indicating towards both sides of the table with swift hand gestures. Klaus ground his teeth and balled his fists to keep from flashing over and snapping his neck.

"Yes. Niklaus and I were just about to do so." Elijah responded, including his brother in the conversation, though Klaus rarely participated himself. Instead he allowed Elijah to be his spokesperson, unless he absolutely felt the need to intervene and, if that was the case, things usually turned bloody. It wasn't much of a surprise given how known he was for having a short temper. "Come to think, I am sure you could already guess the crucial topic of our meeting." Elijah added as an afterthought.

The rest of the men glanced at each other, uncertain, quizzical looks on each face. The Governor was the only one without a reaction, his face a blank canvas.

Klaus piped up from behind his brother. "Brother, do put them out of their misery. They are clearly ignorant of the crucial matter at hand, judging by the lack of response." He was certainly not known for being patient.

"Yes, yes." The other acquiesced. "As you have undoubtedly heard, Miss Chantraine, our new ward, has been attacked by wolves just a few months ago. Now, we have all signed a contract and are all aware of the consequences that come with a breach of it. And, given that the supernatural factions have so far been at peace with each other, I am willing to assume it is a pack of rogue wolves that is causing all the trouble in our city. Mr. Amoux, could you confirm that for me? Have any of your underlings been causing problems? Have they heard anything that might be of help when attempting to resolve this issue?" Elijah asked, addressing the alpha of the Bayou wolf pack.

"As far as I know, it is none of my friends, Mr. Mikaelson. We haven't had any issues. However, on the last full moon, while roaming the outskirts of the city, I came upon new scents not belonging to my pack. They must belong to the wolves responsible for the attack."

"In that case, we must find them and inform them of our rules. They are accountable for their actions. They can either cooperate or face the wrath of the council." The elder of the Mikaelsons grimly stated, glad this could prove to be a great reminder of what happens to a person when he or she crosses him or any of his family members. This will ensure everyone will be, were they not already, aware that Dahlia Chantraine was off limits to anyone who wished to remain on good terms with the founding family of New Orleans.

"I just can't seem to understand what would have motivated this pack of wolves to have come near the city? At the moment, I am on good terms with the alphas of the nearby packs and we've established that, were they to be on my land for any amount of time, they must first report to me. I haven't had anyone consult me yet, though… something doesn't add up." Amoux murmured while frowning.

"Yes, it seems that you may be onto something." Elijah agreed, seeing no fault in his reasoning.

"Besides, why would they be anywhere close to the road? We prefer the forest to areas frequented by others and don't habitually attack unless the prey is outnumbered or if we feel threatened." Amoux pointed out.

"So what you're saying is that this was a _planned_ attack?" The Governor queried. "Everything seems to point to that conclusion."

"Assuming we _presuppose_ it was, who would be motivated to attack Miss Chantraine? And for what reason?" Ronan supplied, curious to see how the rest would respond, yet also hoping his line of questions would draw attention to the gaps in Amoux's reasoning. The only reason for the attack would be her affiliation to the Mikaelsons, yet none of the residents of New Orleans had the courage to go against the Mikaelsons, regardless of how much they may hate them.

"That's what I can't figure out." Amoux admitted.

_This meeting is going absolutely nowhere._ Elijah thought.

His brother had been thinking much of the same thing. _Elijah had his chance and he hasn't found any answers. Time to do things my way,_ Klaus thought, leaving the room.

Elijah stared at the door that had closed behind his brother and ran a hand down his face half in frustration, the other half in resignation. If only Klaus had given him more time, he could've gotten Ronan to confess that he was the one behind the attack without resorting to plan B.

The rest of the table was baffled by the sudden exit of the younger Mikaelson.

A couple of minutes later, Niklaus returned, this time not alone. Following behind him was a man with dark blonde hair framing his young face, his hazel eyes betraying nervousness and a slight amount of fear.

Once he arrived beside his brother, Niklaus spoke up. "I have decided that skirting around the topic, as you have been doing for the past hour, is not to my standard. I have information that solves the issue we have so calmly been discussing and it has become clear to me that there was absolutely no reason to keep it a secret any longer. Come, David, it's time I introduced you to these gentlemen." Klaus said, waving the boy forth, a small mischievous smile tilting the corners of his mouth upwards.

The Governor, catching sight of the young boy, looked between him and Niklaus trying hard to put together the puzzle that revealed what Niklaus was planning. His hands, resting on the arms of his chair, began to quiver _._

"Gentlemen, this is David. David, I would like you to tell me and my fellow council members what you overheard while you were over at the Governor's mansion." He said, compelling the boy. He then turned to face the men seated around the table, their eyes widened by shock. "David isn't on vervain. I've just compelled him, to prove to you that he's speaking the absolute truth."

The Governor's face paled significantly, but kept quiet, holding on to a sliver of hope that the information David held would be inaccurate. He was prepared to do whatever it took to keep the men on his side.

Everyone remained completely mute, dying to know what David would say. He recounted the conversation he overheard tying Ronan to the attempted murder of Dahlia, as well as the murder of Veronique.

The Governor went from fearful to angry in the span of seconds. "First of all, I can't believe this! You had your spies infiltrate my home?" Ronan spat, the blood flowing to his face turning it a deep shade. "Second of all, this is all hear-say. Nothing like this would ever be accepted in a court of justice. You are making serious accusations and the only way you will ever be believed is if you have solid proof that condemns me; until then, I remain innocent, as I should be."

His response garnered a few murmurs, some in agreement with him, others beginning to believe the tale David told and holding on to their suspicions.

"First of all," Klaus mocked him, "David wasn't spying on you." This was just one of the many lies he told in his long life. "He dropped by to give you some information, on my behalf, when he had the misfortune of overhearing your confession. Besides, it doesn't matter how I obtained the information. What matters is that you are guilty of both the murder of two innocent people and the attempted murder of Dahlia Chantraine. Secondly, we don't deal with a court of justice. Here in New Orleans, we take justice into our own hands. If we all agree that you are guilty of these accusations, your crime is punishable by death. An eye for an eye, as the Romans so wisely said." He concluded.

Another council member spoke up. "Mr. Mikaelson, do you have any other proof that he is guilty? With all due respect, I think I speak on behalf of my friends when I say that we can't condemn a man to death if we aren't one hundred percent convinced that he is guilty of the crime. At the moment, there is a suspicion, given that David was compelled and he is therefore speaking his truth, but there is always more than one side to a story. We must explore them before we jump to conclusions."

"Mr. Adley, what more do you require? You heard David. The Governor admitted to being responsible for the wolf attack. That should be more than enough proof." Klaus barked out, but didn't move from his spot at the front of the room. Elijah was the only one that kept him in check, staring him down to remind him that it wasn't wise to act out at the moment. There was much to lose and little to gain at the moment. He could tell that everyone was set on the decision to wait it out until more evidence that incriminated the Governor appeared. If that's what it took to convince them that the current puppet needed to be replaced for the good of everyone else, he had to find the strength to wait it out and find more dirt on Ronan. Nonetheless, he would enjoy the moment when he could rightfully wipe the smile off of Ronan's face, along with his whole head, cleanly off his neck.

"I'm sorry, sir. Everyone deserves a fair trial, regardless of what they may have done. Unfortunately, we will not act before we are presented with more information." Adley replied, continuing to speak in the plural form. The majority of the men nodded in agreement, a few of them joining in within moments, though with less enthusiasm.

The men's pursed lips and furrowed brows were signs of their deep reflections. None of the members wanted to anger the Mikaelsons. All the same, Ronan was one of them; for this reason, they were reticent about putting him to death. Their decision was partially motivated by the fact that Ronan, as Governor, was the most powerful amongst them and a mighty shield protecting them from the wrath of the Originals. Without him, there would be no scapegoat. Were he to die, someone else would have to take his place and no one could tell whom that might be. Uncertainty was always a great motivator. They had clearly chosen the lesser of two evils.

Elijah took over in an attempt to restore peace given the two sides were at a stalemate. "Gentlemen, I believe it is time we end this meeting. I must talk with my brother, in private." He paused, trying to communicate to Niklaus, by way of his gaze, that he must restrain himself. He feared that the younger one might kill the Governor on the spot, regardless of the consequences. "I will inform the Governor of our next meeting once my brother and I make a decision with regards to the date and time. Thank you for coming."

He was about to get up and leave when he heard his brother say to David, "Thank you, David. You have served your purpose well." A loud, stomach-turning crack was heard, followed by David's body crashing to the floor.

The Governor turned to Klaus, wide-eyed and furious and stood abruptly from his seat in order to stalk over to Klaus. His hands shook at his side with barely suppressed anger as he eyed the unmoving body with horror. He then looked up at Klaus, who was almost a head taller than him, with a look of utter disgust, all horror dissipating. "How dare you perform this sin with such nonchalance while present in my own home! After all the hospitality I've shown you, you dare threaten me and my fellow council members? You are not deserving of my hospitality, or the hospitality of others, and you will not get away with murder, mark my words."

Klaus burst into cruel laughter at the attempted threat. When his laughter died down, he lowered his head to look LaMontagne straight in the eyes, an evil smirk still on his face. "What a very unoriginal threat, Governor. I thought you of all people could be more creative. Let me tell you something," He said, lightly, "you will never be able to make a move against me. Otherwise, who would look after the red-haired young lady you've been... chatting with in secret? What was her name again? Carmela? What a shame it would be for your wife to have to attend the funeral of a mistress she never even had the pleasure of meeting face to face, wouldn't you say?" He laughed at the Governor's shocked expression. Ronan really should have known that secrets don't stay hidden for long...

The men in the room gasped as they found out of the Governor's unfaithfulness, the man's dirty laundry aired before all. Despite Niklaus' lightheartedness, they were all convinced that he was deadly serious, and yet they remained seated, unable and unwilling to do anything about it. Some of them even thought the Governor deserved his fate; you make the bed you lie in. Ronan's face remained stoic but, inside, he was battling the instinct that told him to leave the room that very moment.

"Regardless," Klaus continued on, "David is my underling and, therefore, my responsibility. This matter does not regard you at all. I do not care that this is your home." His statement implied an unspoken 'I do as I please'. "Secondly, don't be absurd. I have not killed him. I am simply granting him his wish for immortality; he has earned it." He then turned to Elijah, a half smile on his face. "Now, brother, I believe it is time for us to go. I am feeling peckish and you know that I become even more reckless than usual when I am hungry." He said, smirking dangerously, an unveiled threat, both directed at the Governor. _If Ronan didn't keep his mouth shut_ , Elijah thought, _he would surely be leaving the room in a coffin_.

Klaus turned and left the room, Elijah following closely behind him, but not before briefly nodding to the rest of the men. Always one for formalities...

* * *

**Mikaelson Mansion, 5 p.m.**

The Mikaelson men returned home, Klaus storming off to his room. Even in his stormy mood, he took the time to briefly greet Dahlia with a "Hello, love" and a forced, yet warm smile. He was upstairs before she even had the chance to reply.

After he had disappeared, Elijah and Dahlia greeted each other; the latter's eyes reflected confusion, something Elijah picked up on immediately.

"Do not fret, my dear. He is simply overreacting. He is disappointed that the meeting we attended earlier did not go his way."

"Shall I check on him?" she asked timidly, afraid her question might give away the growing feelings she harbored towards the younger Mikaelson.

"You can if you would like to," Elijah responded with a gentle smile.

"I don't want to bother him, especially if he wants to be alone..."

"Nonsense," Elijah said, noticing her hesitation. "You know Niklaus never says no to your company." His eyes shined with amusement.

She was unsure of how to respond to his comment so she simply nodded and informed him that, were he to require her presence, he could find her upstairs. She excused herself and headed for the stairs.

On her way, she thought she heard Elijah sigh and say, "He is much too bloodthirsty for his own good..." but she couldn't be completely sure.

Once at the top of the stairs, she headed in the direction of Klaus' room only to see the door to it ajar and the room bathed in darkness. She stopped in her tracks and pondered whether she should just turn around and go to her room or continue her search. As she was making her decision, she saw light beneath the door across the hall. Since she was in the vicinity, she decided to check if Klaus was inside. She knocked on the door, a quiet query falling from her lips, "Klaus?"

"Come in." So that's where he was. As she turned the knob, she second-guessed her decision to come find him. What if he didn't want her around?

Pushing the door open, Dahlia gasped in shock at the beautiful works of art strewn around the room. Her wide-eyed perusal of the works was interrupted when Klaus spoke.

"Dahlia," Klaus said, nodding in greeting. " _Would you like to come in or do you prefer to admire from afar_?" His eyes sparkled in amusement, mischief and something else Dahlia couldn't identify. He had paused in his painting to speak to her, his paintbrush hanging in mid air and ready to get back to work.

She stepped inside, drawn to both him and the art. Seconds later she made the connection.

"These are your works, aren't they?" She asked in awe. "They are beautiful!"

Her question had been somewhat rhetorical yet he answered it anyway. "Yes, they are. I'm glad you think so." He said, her praise bringing on a feeling of pride and also, surprisingly, of happiness at the fact that he had impressed her without attempting to.

Realizing it was best to continue his painting at a later time—preferably when he was alone, he set down his paintbrush on the edge of the easel, wiped his hands on a nearby towel and got up, coming to stand behind Dahlia to look at what had caught her attention.

It was the painting he had completed about a month ago, the one she had inspired. It was of the face of a blonde girl with blue eyes contrasted against a dark, almost murky background; what had caught her eye, however, was the physical brokenness of the girl. The girl's face was cracked with pieces missing from the cheeks and the forehead, emulating the spider-webbed cracks of a shattered mirror.

" _I know I'm breaking one of the most important rules in regards to art, but I'm curious to know what you were thinking when you painted this._ " Her comment lacked the implied "Will you tell me?" She looked at him sheepishly, eager to get a peek into the mind of what seemed like a tortured being.

Up until now, she hadn't realized what a negative impact living forever could have on a person. Being unable to find peace, especially given her innate religious beliefs, would have a significant (and undeniably negative) impact on the woman Dahlia would become, were she to be a vampire. Just thinking about having to harm and even kill another to foster her own survival made her physically sick with revulsion.

She couldn't even imagine the horrors Klaus experienced in his 800 years. He was undoubtedly well acquainted with the recusant side of human nature, having most likely seen and possibly taken part in many wars, as well as gotten to know a variety of different people over the course of his long existence. Looking back at the painting, she admired it before adding, " _You don't have to tell me if you don't want to…_ "

She saw a resemblance to herself in the hair and eye colour as well as some of the facial features but she ignored it. After all, Rebekah had the same features as her, except her eyes were slightly darker than her own. Besides, why would he want to paint her? She didn't mean anything to him; it wasn't wise to wish otherwise, especially not with the knowledge of what Niklaus was like behind the careful veneer that masked him. And yet why did the forewarnings seem so insignificant to her? _Because you wish he took an interest in you_ , her inner voice whispered. _Consequences be damned._ There it was again. She could never fully escape facing the truth.

He found himself being honest about some of his thoughts on the painting which was unusual given his need for privacy in all things.

" _To be honest, you inspired this work. You're beautiful; I think any artist would love to have you as his model._ "

She blushed and avoided his gaze.

" _Don't be embarrassed by it. You should take it as a compliment._ " He said, putting his index finger beneath her chin and tilting her face towards him. He smiled when her eyes met his.

" _You were my inspiration but there are a few more things that I was also aiming to express._ " He elaborated. " _Can you guess what they may have been?_ "

" _I'm not sure if this is what you aimed for, but I see incompleteness, brokenness, loneliness. This could be a metaphor of the state your family is in at the moment. I understand you have two more siblings, yet they are not around. Your parents are also absent, perhaps dead. I also noticed that even when you're with Rebekah and Elijah, you are closed in on yourself. You've put up a wall between you and the rest of society, a wall that sometimes even your siblings cannot get past. You seem close to any outsider and perhaps that's intentional; to the rest, you are a united front, amongst yourselves, however, you barely talk to each other. And I am not referring to the literal exchange of words; you rarely have deep conversations with each other. But the painting isn't just a reflection of you or of your thoughts._ "

His painting is so easy to engage with emotionally, she thought to herself. It's almost like he was able to see inside me. " _I must've been drawn by it because I empathize with the girl in the picture, who I now know was modeled after me. Perhaps you were able to see past the façade and this is what you have observed._ " Dahlia's breathing stuttered. She wasn't accustomed to revealing much about herself, especially about her demons. But, it was Niklaus she was opening up to and if anyone could understand her, it was him.

" _I have a feeling that you and I have a lot in common. I have experienced many of these dark emotions the painting displays many times in the past. I sought acceptance, longed for love, for a stable home, given the fact that mine was everything but loving or accepting. Sometimes you are affected by what you don't have._ " She explained.

Something in her speech must have been a trigger because, while listening to her express exactly what he had felt since his childhood, his stepfather's voice rang out, freed from the deep recesses of his mind, _No one_ cares _about you anymore,_ boy. _You are an abomination! Nobody will_ ever _love a monster! Who do you have besides those whose companionship you compel? No one._ Lies! He told himself. They were all lies. Breathing became a struggle as he began to hyperventilate. Despite all his efforts, Klaus could not free himself from the metaphorical shackles Mikael had placed him in.

Her gaze was firmly on the painting so she didn't notice Klaus' reaction to her words. She, also, had become lost in thought. She remembered what it was like when she first arrived in New Orleans. Everything seemed to have been going wrong. Her life seemed to be crumbling around her. She had to leave her family and, though she wasn't on the best of terms with either of her parents, she missed them immensely and felt their absence every day. She also had to say goodbye to her dear friend Veronique whom she would never see again.

But, just like the painting, there was a positive thing about her experience. "Nonetheless, you have to remember that there is always a sliver of light in darkness. In the painting, there is hope of a new person emerging from beneath, the cracks giving life to rebirth. With loss there was also gain. And, as for me, had I never come to New Orleans, I never would have met you..." She now had more friends and a small family. None of the Mikaelsons would ever replace her parents or Veronique but they helped slowly heal and begin her life anew in this part of the world.

Unfortunately, her last words were lost on Klaus who could focus on nothing but Mikael's unwelcome voice which reminded him again and again just how much of a failure he was in all aspects of life. That he deserved to be miserable. Instead of calming him like it usually did, Dahlia's presence now served to aggravate what he was experiencing. He succumbed to his unconscious need for escape by carelessly storming out of the room. His momentum caused her to lose her balance and tumble into a painting covered by a thin sheet of fabric and yet, in his haste, he did not even glance over his shoulder to check if she was alright.

Confused by his reaction and sore from the fall, she attempted to reflect on what had happened as she made an attempt to get back on her feet only to come face to face with the now unveiled work. Her eyes widened as she took in the life-like scene, so detailed it could make the viewer feel as if he or she were experiencing it in person.

The gaze was centered on two characters located in the middle of a clearing. Huts could be seen in the background, along with a fire pit that burned bright. A blonde-haired woman was weeping as she held a wounded child in her lap. Her body cocooned him, in an unconscious attempt to protect him from the cruel world. Large tears flowed down her anguished face. The two figures were light by white moonlight coming from a full moon and were surrounded by darkness, which only accentuated the gloomy mood of the painting. The young boy in her lap, most probably her son, had his eyes closed and his mouth partially opened in a grimace. He was covered in murky liquid, most likely blood. Slashes crisscrossed his whole torso and his clothes were torn in such a way as if they had been tugged at by sharp claws. Given the boy's state and the mother's strong reaction, it was insinuated that he was either dead or was dying.

The painting made it impossible not to sympathize with the two victims. Dahlia could feel tears prickling her eyes and even as she turned away from the painting, which had elicited such a strong reaction from her, the image seemed burned into her mind for she could not escape it. Curiosity got the better of her as she wondered whether Klaus had witnessed this scene first-hand and if the two characters were people he once knew. She made a mental note to ask him about it the next time she saw him.

Carefully, she got up and replaced the veil that once covered the painting, returning it to the state it had been in before her fall. She, then, decided it would be best to return to her room. Somehow, it didn't feel right being in Klaus' art room without him by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: The painting I discussed above was something similar to the image found here: http://topwalls.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/girl-by-abstract-art.jpg . I changed the colour of the eyes to blue to resemble Dahlia as she was Nik’s inspiration. Please leave me a comment telling me what you thought :) xoxo


	8. Always On My Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again :) Just wanted to ask a favour of you, before you read this. Could you all please reread chapters 3 & 6 before reading this chapter? I have added and changed some things around in those 2 chapters specifically because I noticed I had left out a few important events and rereading the chapters would make it easier on you to believe the dynamic between Klaus and Dahlia in this chapter. Besides, I am very sure that you will like the new additions :) Thanks again & sorry for the inconvenience! I'm grateful for your patience and for sticking with me!
> 
> Enjoy!

**Mikaelson Mansion: Noon, the Following Day**

Dahlia descended the grand stairs of the mansion in search of Rebekah, but instead came across the younger Mikaelson brother who was leaving his office. He greeted her curtly but didn't seem talkative.

"Niklaus, I'm glad to have finally found you. I've been meaning to ask you something all day," she exclaimed eagerly, a bright smile on her face.

Klaus, on his part, impatiently told her he couldn't talk right this minute because he had important business to attend to and briskly walked past her.

On impulse, she grabbed onto the inside of his elbow in an attempt to stop him and he allowed her to, though his strength far outweighed hers. He stood still, not exactly turning towards her but making no move to continue on his way, listening.

"Please," she whispered quietly, "I know you have been avoiding me." She was saddened by the prospect that her words or actions, whatever they may have been, had pushed him away.

Hearing what she had said, he became defensive. "I don't have time for trivial discussions, Miss Chantraine." She was surprised at his use of her last name; he hadn't called her that since she first arrived in New Orleans. "I really must be going." Her hand dropped from his elbow as if burned; she felt like a scolded child seeking attention.

Guilt crept up on Niklaus, an emotion he didn't think himself capable of feeling, but he had proved himself wrong. Regardless, he left the house, hoping his guilt would abate the further he distanced himself from Dahlia.

She watched his retreating form with a frown, his indifference causing a sting. She would have preferred his anger, that he confronted her about what she thought herself to be guilty of. At least that way she knew he somewhat cared about her...She retreated back to her room, having forgotten all about what she had come downstairs for; her mind was preoccupied with analysing the encounters she had had with Klaus today, as well as the previous day.

If Klaus thought his guilt would subside, he was wrong. Thoughts of Dahlia plagued his mind the entire time he was away from home. When he returned around four in the afternoon, he locked himself in his office, telling his siblings nobody was to bother him unless it was urgent. He tried his utmost to get lost in the documents he had to sign or complete, the correspondence he had to reply to, but to no avail. He growled lowly, roughly running his hands through his unruly hair, tapping his fingers on his desk, all signs of stress and of the inner turmoil he was facing. He was furious that a woman, a beautiful but common one, had acquired so much power over him.

After he left her in his art room the day before, he had been too distracted by traumatic memories of his childhood to consider how Dahlia had interpreted his behaviour. Hours later, when he managed to escape the haze that had trapped him, he began to think of the blonde he abandoned with no explanation. That is not to say that he usually gave any at all, but he was curious as to what she thought had motivated his disappearance. He thought about how, knowing her, she would have assumed she was the root cause of the problem. He found himself wanting to go find her and apologize, but it was much too late in the night for an unwarranted visit. She could be asleep already. That night was the first of many plagued by a blonde haired, blue eyed girl.

He awoke that morning feeling dazed, eyebrows furrowed in a deep 'V', his lips tingling with the ghost of an imagined gentle kiss, and his limbs tangled in the sheets as if his night had been spent doing anything but sleeping.

At six o'clock, he left the office, in search of food. Walking into the living room, he observed Rebekah and Elijah sitting on the couch, facing each other, chatting quietly. Dahlia was nowhere in sight; noting her absence, he attempted to remain uninterested, as if nothing was out of the ordinary, but he was concerned about her wellbeing.

"Shouldn't we be having dinner? I'm famished." He pointed out, crossing his hands across his chest. "Sister, where is your new friend?" He finally asked what he had been wondering all along, pretending it was an afterthought.

"Nik, she has a name! Please, do make use of it whenever possible." Rebekah threw out in annoyance, scolding him for sounding inconsiderate. She had taken on the role of the mother-hen where Dahlia was concerned, looking out for her new friend like she was truly her younger blood relative. "As for dinner, you are old enough to look out for yourself, no?" She asked, her eyebrow raised. "Elijah and I already ate while you were in your office, preoccupied with...whatever demanded such prolonged attention."

"No family dinner, then." He sighed, irritated. "Oh, and pardon my error." He added, mockingly, in reply to her first comment. "I meant where is Dahlia?" He asked again, correcting himself while rolling his eyes at her.

"She hasn't left the room since noon. She was supposed to meet me downstairs and accompany me on an errand, but she never came. When I went in search of her, I found her in her room, laying down, the covers pulled up to her chin. I asked her if she was alright and she responded that she wasn't feeling well." Klaus could tell that his sister had something on her mind. "I didn't want to worsen her condition so I insisted that she stay home and rest while I go out alone. She agreed, saying she did not want to be holding me back. I knew I would be able to get everything done faster and be back quickly in order to keep her company."

"Have you been upstairs to check on her?" He asked.

Elijah seemed to have been thinking the same thoughts as him because he continued from where his brother had left off. "Yes, Rebekah, is she hungry? Perhaps she would like to have dinner. It is, after all, late and she most likely has not eaten since morning."

"Yes, Nik, I went to her room once I returned home and brought her a tray of food in case she was hungry. We ate together and spent a few hours talking. I only left her about a half hour before you came out of your office." She then turned to Elijah. "Don't worry, brother." She said, her hand reaching over to place it on his knee. "She has been with us for half a year; she is comfortable enough to come downstairs and eat if she is hungry. I know she isn't though. She just wants to be alone for a little bit. I wonder why." She added the last bit almost accusingly, glancing at Klaus. Dahlia must have mentioned something to Rebekah when they talked; or else his sister had an uncanny ability to tell when he had been the cause of something.

"Alright, alright. I was just attempting to be a good host, that is all." Klaus uttered. He laughed at his sister's disbelieving scoff. Niklaus Mikaelson, a good host — what an amusing quip. His family never failed to overlook his good traits in favour of nitpicking at all his faults; how could he not expect the same from everyone else?

He decided that he would go check on Dahlia himself. To hell with all the customs of what is or is not appropriate. He could do whatever he wanted in the comfort of his own home. Blatantly disregarding what Rebekah had said about Dahlia needing her space, he left his siblings to continue the conversation he interrupted when he came in and went upstairs. He knew she would not say no to his presence, in the same way he rarely refused hers. Today had only been slightly different; he wanted to spend time talking to her, but he refused to grant her the chance to start a discussion about his past, so he forced himself to reject her.

Standing outside the door to her room, Klaus noticed the light underneath the door; that meant she wasn't sleeping. He lifted his hand and knocked, waiting for a response. From inside, he heard the rustling of the bed sheets and then Dahlia's light footsteps coming towards the door. Seconds later, the door was pulled open to reveal her. She was wearing a robe over her nightgown. Feeling underdressed and embarrassed to be seen in this state by a man, especially Niklaus of all the Mikaelsons, she pulled the robe tighter.

" _I'm sorry. I thought it was Rebekah._ " She uttered quietly in her native tongue, looking down while her cheeks became rosy. Studying her, Klaus thought she looked tired, weighed down by some unseen burden.

" _It's just you and I. There's no need to be shy._ " He spoke, his hand itching to reach out and lift her chin so he could look into her eyes once more.

Her gaze returned to his face as she cleared her throat. " _I'm sorry. I'm being extremely impolite. Would you like to come in?_ " She didn't look in the mood to talk but also seemed to mean what she said.

" _Only if you don't mind,_ " he responded. Without a word, she stepped aside to let him enter; he let the door close behind him. His siblings were in the house and could hear anything that was being said. Whether the door was closed or not was irrelevant. Both individuals went to sit on the bed. Klaus' posture was relaxed and calm, putting Dahlia at ease. She was comfortable enough to climb back in bed, leaning against the bed frame, a pillow supporting her back. She pulled the covers over her legs, all the way to her stomach, her hands folded across her middle. Klaus sat across from her, his back resting against one of the bed posts. Realizing that wouldn't be too comfortable, Dahlia offered him one of her pillows to place behind his back and returned to her previous position.

" _I don't mean to come across as rude, but is there a reason why you've sought me out? I'm just curious, that's all._ " She asked, her fingers nervously tracing patterns on her comforter.

" _I heard you weren't feeling well. I just wanted to make sure you are alright._ "

" _I'm better, thank you._ " She gave him a little smile, no longer upset about what had happened earlier in the day, but she didn't say anything else.

" _Listen,_ " he continued with a sigh, " _I want to apologize for my behaviour yesterday. It was extremely uncalled for to storm out of the room without saying anything to you. I'm sorry._ "

She was slightly caught off guard by his sincere apology, not having expected Niklaus to be one of those men who easily admitted to having done something wrong. She recognized that it was unusual of him to do so, his body language radiating discomfort, so she accepted it politely. " _Thank you. Do you want to tell me what happened?_ " She was curious, but she didn't want to push him.

" _That's a mystery box better left unopened, for now._ " She noticed he didn't say he wouldn't _ever_ tell her. He just didn't want to discuss it right now.

For both their sakes, she decided to change the topic.

" _Since you're here, do you mind if I ask you something?_ "

" _What is it?_ " He asked.

Dahlia stayed quiet as she looked him in the eyes, as if searching for something. She seemed to have found what she was looking for so she put forth the question that had echoed in her mind since she stumbled across the painting the day before.

" _Will you tell me who the boy in your painting is? The covered painting of a bleeding boy who is being held by a grieving woman._ " She asked hesitantly.

Klaus' blue eyes suddenly lost their warmth and turned frosty as he quickly got off the bed; in the span of seconds, he became a different person, one she never before encountered. Looking up at his calm hostility, she began to understand why he's the most feared man in New Orleans. " _Why did you go through my art room? I never gave you permission to look at the veiled paintings_."

She became defensive and offended by the fact that he would accuse her of snooping. " _I didn't do anything wrong. I never would have seen it if you had been more careful._ "She retorted.

Her words only served to trigger a flashback from the night Henrik died. "It is all your fault, boy! He wouldn't be dead if you hadn't taken him out there on a full moon." Mikael yelled at him. Not this again... _Shut up!_ His inner voice yelled back, attempting to silence the voice in his head; his jaw clenched, reflecting his inner fight.

" _Would you tell me who is he?_ " She probed again.

" _No one. That painting was for my eyes only; neither you nor my siblings were supposed to have seen it._ " His tone implied that this conversation was over and it was time to look for a new topic of discussion.

Yet Dahlia was not one to back down from a challenge. She decided to just be honest, hoping that telling him her motivation would give Nik the push he needed to open up to her. " _Niklaus, I just want to get to know you. I've lived with you and your siblings for almost half a year and yet I know next to nothing about you. How can we be friends if you are too afraid to let me in?_ "

" _Tell me something. How does getting to know me have anything to do with your obsession regarding the painting you keep badgering me about?_ " He raised an eyebrow, awaiting her answer.

The man before her was so guarded. He had barricaded himself inside an impenetrable giant fortress, refusing to let anyone within its gates. She understood that his hardened heart had been the product of a millennium-old life full of difficult experiences not many could have been able to endure while remaining sane. She could tell that he was lonely, having studied him during her stay at the manor. He didn't have any friends because he kept pushing people away when they attempted to get close to him. The people he surrounded himself with were only loyal to him out of fear. She simply wanted to show him that it was worth letting people in. Not everyone was out to profit off of him and people like her wouldn't betray his trust by taking advantage of the weaknesses he revealed. She wanted to be his friend but, for it to work, he'd have to make an effort on his end...

" _I'm not ignorant. I can tell that this painting means something to you. And given its traumatic depiction, it must not have been just a figment of your imagination. I'm convinced that by talking about what you experienced, you could make peace with it. We all have demons, Nik, but that doesn't mean that we have to fight them alone. Let me prove to you that I deserve your trust. Let me be here for you._ " As she spoke, she looked him right in the eyes, her gaze conveying nothing but honesty and affection. She tried to convey how much she cared in a way that didn't spook him. She had to be careful not to come across too strong; otherwise, she would only be working against herself.

Her offer was so tempting but he was afraid that if he let the mask drop, she would run the minute she saw his true face. Were he to let her in, he had no doubt that he would get used to having her around only to have her leave when she realized that he wasn't who she thought he was, that he was too much for her to handle. His past was dark and bloody; he had been trapped in the darkness until she showed up and illuminated his life, teaching him how to enjoy the little things that life had to offer.

Dahlia's speech was followed by a long moment of silence between the two during which Dahlia waited with baited breath as Klaus contemplated his response. His posture became rigid, indicating that his mind had been made up.

He turned back to her, his eyes wild but resigned to his decision and he continued, " _That_ boy _you saw — that was my little brother, and he_ died _because of_ me! _I took him with me to watch the werewolves transform one full moon and he was mauled to death by one of them right before my eyes. And there was_ nothing I _or_ anyone else _could do to keep him alive. He died all because I had some selfish, unexplained obsession with werewolves. His death motivated the creation of the vampire race. And you know what's ironic?_ " He asked her, laughing humorlessly. " _I enjoy who I am now and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I crave the power; I enjoy satisfying my unending bloodlust even at the expense of human lives. If that is the cost of being invincible, then so be it. I will_ never _sacrifice it all for the foolish notion of 'normality'. My humanity has long been pulverized and I never want it back. Humanity is a weakness and I am not_ weak." He pronounced each of the last words as if they were their own morsels of meaning.

The entire time he was speaking, he had paced like a caged lion before the bed, the metaphorical cage he was trapped in made him claustrophobic. Once he had finished, he glanced back at Dahlia only to see her pale and shocked into speechlessness. Since she must have already thought he was a monster, he drove the nails further into his own metaphorical coffin. " _Appearances may be deceiving at times, but this is who I really am. I hurt people, and most of all those closest to me, and I often take pleasure in it. I am_ not human _and never will be._ " He said, accentuating the last words. It was implied that he thought himself a soulless monster, so he didn't speak of it. He pushed her away, thinking it would be best if she distanced herself from him, physically and emotionally. Just the thought of himself being given the power to hurt her made him physically ill. She was light and he was darkness and whenever those two meet, he would snuff a little bit more of her light until she was but a shadow of her past self.

He had unknowingly put Dahlia to the test; whether or not she was going to pass was yet to be determined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading & don't forget to live me a review to let me know what you think of the story so far & what you liked most or disliked about the chapter! Until later! xoxo


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